Pipelines, vital for fluid transport, pose an important yet challenging inspection task, particularly in small, flexible biological systems, that robots have yet to master. In this study, we explored the development of an innovative robot inspired by the ovipositor of parasitic wasps to navigate and inspect pipelines. The robot features a flexible locomotion system that adapts to different tube sizes and shapes through a mechanical inflation technique. The flexible locomotion system employs a reciprocating motion, in which groups of three sliders extend and retract in a cyclic fashion. In a proof-of-principle experiment, the robot locomotion efficiency demonstrated positive linear correlation (r = 0.6434) with the diameter ratio (ratio of robot diameter to tube diameter). The robot showcased a remarkable ability to traverse tubes of different sizes, shapes and payloads with an average of (70%) locomotion efficiency across all testing conditions, at varying diameter ratios (0.7 1.5). Furthermore, the mechanical inflation mechanism displayed substantial load-carrying capacity, producing considerable holding force of (13 N), equivalent to carrying a payload of (≈5.8 Kg) inclusive the robot weight. This soft robotic system shows promise for inspection and navigation within tubular confined spaces, particularly in scenarios requiring adaptability to different tube shapes, sizes, and load-carrying capacities. The design of this system serves as a foundation for a new class of pipeline inspection robots that exhibit versatility across various pipeline environments, potentially including biological systems.

Minimally invasive endovascular procedures use catheters that are guided through blood vessels to perform interventions, resulting in an inevitable frictional interaction between the catheter and the vessel walls. While this friction enhances stability during the intervention, it poses a risk of damaging the inner layer of the blood vessel wall during navigation, leading to post-operative complications including infectious diseases and thrombus formation. To mitigate the risk of adverse complications, we propose a new concept of a variable-friction catheter capable of transitioning from low friction during navigation to high friction for increased stability while performing the intervention. This variable-friction catheter leverages ultrasonic lubrication to actively control the frictional forces experienced by the catheter during the procedure. In this paper, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept for a friction control module, a pivotal component of the proposed catheter design. Our experiments demonstrate that the prototype effectively reduce friction by up to 11% and 60%, on average, on soft and rigid surfaces, representing its potential performance on healthy and calcified tissue, respectively. This result underscores the feasibility of the design and its potential to improve the safety and efficacy of minimally invasive endovascular procedures.

Transverse vibrations can induce the non-linear compression of a thin film of air to levitate objects, via the squeeze-film effect. This phenomenon is well captured by the Reynolds' lubrication theory; however, the same theory fails to describe this levitation when the fluid is incompressible. In this case, the computation predicts no steady-state levitation, contradicting the documented experimental evidence. In this Letter, we uncover the main source of the time-averaged pressure asymmetry in the incompressible fluid thin film, leading the levitation phenomenon to exist. Furthermore, we reveal the physical law governing the steady-state levitation height, which we confirm experimentally.

To be fully integrated into the activities of our daily lives, robots need to be capable of traversing unstructured environments and interacting safely with their surroundings. Soft robots are perfect candidates since they can adapt to their surroundings through passive material compliance, rather than relying on complex control. However, the same compliance hinders the generation of propelling forces, and current approaches face a trade-off between traveling speed, action range, and control complexity. We overcome this trade-off by developing a locomotion mechanism based on the synergistic interaction between symmetric vibrations, elasticity, and asymmetric morphology. We then realize a rapid soft locomotor using inexpensive off-the-shelf components and requiring only elementary actuation and control. A single robotic unit can travel at speeds up to 100 mm/s when tethered and 35 mm/s when untethered. We derive a model that predicts the speed of the robot as a function of several design parameters and physical properties, highlighting the role of geometric asymmetries in the resulting anisotropic motion. Moreover, these elementary units can be added together to create more complex behaviors. By adding 2 units in parallel, the assembly can locomote and be steered following nonholonomic constraints. Our approach opens the door to a new class of low-cost soft robots that can travel fast and far with elementary fabrication and control, and which can be combined to achieve complex functions without compromising their essential simplicity.

This paper presents a new mechanics model for unidirectional notched-tube continuum wrists, a class of mechanisms frequently used to implement distal steering in needle-sized surgical robotic instruments. Existing kinematic models available for these devices are based on the simplifying assumption that, during actuation, all the notches undergo the same amount of deflection, so that the shape of a wrist can be approximated by an arc of constant curvature. This approach is analytically attractive, but, as we show in this paper, it can sometimes fail to provide good tracking accuracy. In this paper, we provide a new model that relaxes the assumption above, and we report experimental evidence showing its superior accuracy. We model wrist deflection using Castigliano's Second Theorem, with the addition of a capstan friction term that accounts for frictional losses on the actuation tendon. Because notched-tube wrists are typically made of Nickel-Titanium (Nitinol), which has nonlinear stress-strain characteristics, we use a technique to obtain a local linearized approximation of the material modulus, suitable for use in the deflection model. The result of our modeling is a system of nonlinear equations that can be solved numerically to predict the wrist configuration based on the applied actuation force. Experimental results on physical specimens show that this improved model provides a more accurate estimate of wrist kinematics than prior models assuming constant curvature bending.