How did ivy inspire a new kind of robot?
Plants and robots may seem to be at the opposite ends of the technological spectrum. But we can learn a lot from studying the way plants grow, climb and move. With the support of the EU-funded GrowBot project, a group of researchers are incorporating the climbing abilities of plants into robotic design. The project has now been featured in the CORDIS series of explanatory videos titled Make the Connection with EU science. “We set out to develop low-mass, low-volume robots capable of anchoring themselves, navigating voids, and moving effectively in scenarios where current climbing robots, which are based on wheels, legs or rails, might get stuck or fall,” explains Barbara Mazzolai, associate director for robotics at the Italian Institute of Technology and GrowBot project coordinator. The team continues to further develop its technologies and platforms, with a specific focus on improving the design and control of the self-growing robot. Researchers from the project are already exploring the use of climbing, plant-like soft robots as environmental sensors along the vertical or horizontal gradients in and around buildings. Further applications include the exploration of cramped and hazardous environments, and search-and-rescue missions in collapsed buildings. ‘Make the connection with EU science’ is a series of explanatory videos focusing on the scientific content and exploitation aspects of EU research projects.
Keywords
GrowBot, plants, robots, robotic design, climbing plants, precision agriculture, additive manufacturing