Journal
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
Volume 250, Issue -, Pages 608-616Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA
DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2017.05.005
Keywords
Soft Robot; Spiropyran; Photo-responsive; Hydrogel; Walkers; Biomimetic
Funding
- Science Foundation Ireland [SFI/12/RC/2289]
- European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development through NAPES [604241]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Herein we report on the synthesis of a bipedal hydrogel walker, based on N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylated spiropyran-co-acrylic acid p(NIPAAm-co-SP-co-AA). Due to the presence of the photochromic spiropyran molecule in the polymer structure, these hydrogels reversibly shrink and swell in aqueous environments when exposed to different light conditions. When placed onto a ratcheted surface, the actuation of the bipedal gel produces a walking motion by taking a series of steps in a given direction, as determined by the optimised design of the ratchet scaffold. We anticipate that such biomimetic hydrogel walkers could form the basis of light-actuated soft robots capable of more advanced functions, such as autonomous migration to specific locations accompanied by triggered release of molecular cargo. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available