30-05-2025
Palm-sized robots build themselves and take their first steps immediately
Building and operating the new system – known as the Flex Printer – requires little prior knowledge, with first-time users able to assemble it and begin making robots in just a few days, the team says.
They have made their designs publicly available to broaden access to soft robotic technologies and to help foster collaboration and improvements to the system.
Maks Gepner, of the University's Schools of Engineering and Informatics, said: "It used to take years to figure out how to print using these materials. Using our new platform, anyone can now easily print things which were previously thought to be impossible. This is a game-changer for engineers and artists alike.
"Our hope is that this technology will help drive the next wave of research breakthroughs. Without the long-standing manufacturing and design bottlenecks holding it back, we believe soft robotics is ready to make a major real-world impact."
The lead engineer on the project was Maks Gepner, with support from Jonah Mack, both PhD students in the Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and Autonomous Systems. The lead academic was Professor Adam A. Stokes, Head of the Institute for Bioengineering at The University of Edinburgh.
The findings are published in the journal Device, part of the prestigious Cell Press group of journals.
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