An Integrated Soft Jumping Robotic Module Based on Liquid Metals

Abstract

The feasibility of liquid metal (LM) to serve for soft robots has been audaciously conceived. While most practices prefer its flexible conductivity or deformation, the LM‐activated hydrogen production with high efficiency should be emphasized that it provides another promising option about portable power supply for robots, which is beneficial for autonomy. Herein, a soft jumping robotic module featuring independent hydrogen supply and explosion‐actuated motion is proposed and fabricated. A necessary processing for raw materials is of priority that ensured convenient utilization in practice. Then the specific configuration of module is discussed and tested. As for applications, the module is integrated into a spherical‐shaped soft robot and a rigid‐wheeled robot as a functional unit. The former one shows vertical jumps, whereas the latter demonstrates its ability to jump over barriers. In general, the real‐time hydrogen supply together with pneumatic actuation from combustion enables a flexible way to realize powerful motion, and the modular characteristic expands its universality for more devices, enabling them with new forms of movement that is quite useful in expedition and rescue. An important trial toward the wish of more deeply combining LM with the development of soft robots and exploiting its diverse potentials is represented.