scientists from cornell university and the university of pennsylvania have developed a robotic lionfish that uses hydraulic blood to swim around like the real thing. the robotic fish has its own artificial circulatory system that moves the ‘electric blood’ around the body, powering pumps in its tail, dorsal and pectoral fins.
robert shepherd at cornell university and his colleagues developed the robot, modelling the design after a lionfish. the roughly 40-centimetre soft robot is powered by flow batteries, systems that consist of two electrodes and a liquid electrolyte that flows between them.
image © james pikul
cover image: the real-life inspiration for the new robotic lionfish
james pikul, a co-author of the study and a researcher at the university of pennsylvania’s department of mechanical engineering and applied mechanics, said his team came up with the idea while trying to find new ways of making robots more independent.
the flow of the liquid works like the air in a balloon, giving the fish its shape and stiffness. to enable the necessary flexibility, electrodes in the fish are made from bendable nickel wire mesh. the robot’s watertight exterior is made from silicone.
image © james pikul
according to shepherd, the robot’s design means it can store a large amount of energy. the team calculated that the robot would be able to function for 37 hours without requiring recharging. the lionfish and swim autonomously at a speed of more than 1.5 body lengths per minute, which is around 15 centimetres per minute or around 0.01 kilometres per hour.
project info
researcher body: cornell university
authors: cameron a. aubin, snehashis choudhury, rhiannon jerch, lynden a. archer, james h. pikul & robert f. shepherd
paper: nature
robots (403 articles)
MIT's self-assembling cube robots could be used in emergency response situations
extremely dextrous robot arm uses AI to solve rubik's cube one-handed
the somnox sleep robot mirrors breathing patterns to help you nod off
technology news
volkswagen gives classic 1972 type 2 microbus an electric upgrade
#technology
the electrified VW shows the potential of an E-golf powertrain in vintage vehicles, taken from a 2017 model.
the electrified VW shows the potential of an E-golf powertrain in vintage vehicles, taken from a 2017 model.
designboom test drives bentley's new mulsanne during crewe factory tour in england
#technology
the new mulsanne editions combine state-of-the-art technologies with the handcrafted luxuriousness that is synonymous with the brand.
the new mulsanne editions combine state-of-the-art technologies with the handcrafted luxuriousness that is synonymous with the brand.
tesla's bulletproof cybertruck comes with pop-up camper configuration
#technology
the highly-anticipated battery-powered cybertruck features a cold-rolled stainless-steel skin and armored glass.
the highly-anticipated battery-powered cybertruck features a cold-rolled stainless-steel skin and armored glass.
designers are now selling 'digital clothes' that don't actually exist
#technology
a solution to one of the world's major eco problems might involve creating clothes that don't actually exist.
a solution to one of the world's major eco problems might involve creating clothes that don't actually exist.