A Visible and Near-Infrared Light-Fueled Omnidirectional Twist-Bend Crawling Robot

In recent years, although light-driven soft actuators have attracted intense scientific attention and achieved remarkable progress, the design and construction of an intelligent robotic system with maneuverability, self-adaptability, untethered control, and greater freedom of action, in particular the omnidirectional motion capability on a plane, remains challenging. Herein, four types of photo-thermal fillers and an unprecedented twist-bend actuation mode is introduced into a liquid crystal elastomer-based soft robot. The obtained twist-bend crawling robot not only exhibits in situ rotation, four-way turning, and four-way linear motion under light irradiation with four wavelength bands (520, 655, 808, and 980 nm), but also demonstrates the ability to avoid obstacles in complex geographical environments. This work may bring a new perspective for fabrication and development of soft robots that can adapt to dynamic and complex environmental conditions.

Automated summary

In recent years, the design and construction of intelligent robotic systems with omnidirectional motion capability on a plane have remained challenging. This study introduces photo-thermal fillers and a twist-bend actuation mode into a liquid crystal elastomer-based soft robot, resulting in a crawling robot that can rotate, turn, and move linearly under light irradiation with four wavelength bands. It also demonstrates the ability to avoid obstacles in complex geographical environments. This work provides a new perspective for the fabrication and development of soft robots that can adapt to dynamic and complex environmental conditions.