Researchers have turned origami into a patent-pending soft robot that may one day be used in surgery. The researchers have moved from paper robots to 3D-printed models that bend, contract, extend and twist. This novel mechanism is called TWISTER (TWISted TowEr Robot).

Soft robot inspired by origami.
(Credit: Russel Lee)

TWISTER was inspired by an origami twisted tower originally designed by Japanese artist Mihoko Tachibana, which uses multiple origami segments to form a tower structure. This origami design was then reinvented for various potential applications in robotics and manufacturing.

In earlier work using paper-folded structures, the team added three small versions of the towers to one end of the larger tower and manipulated them to grasp like three opposing fingers. While picking up and moving eggs and ripe fruit, they found that when excessive force was applied, the fingers absorbed the extra force by distributing it and deforming.

That quality, the researchers say, demonstrates the design’s potential for manipulating all kinds of fragile objects without requiring force-based sensing and interacting with humans, without safety concerns. Recently, they successfully converted the TWISTER designs into 3-D printable models. This work enabled fabrication of complex origami-inspired designs via 3-D printing.

Source 

Topics:
Additive manufacturing Automation Composite materials Medical Medical equipment and supplies Medical, health and wellness Medical, health, and wellness Robotics Surgical procedures

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    This article first appeared in the November, 2017 issue of Medical Design Briefs Magazine (Vol. 7 No. 11).

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