Design of a Bio-Inspired Untethered Eight-Legged Soft Robot Driven by Magnetic Field

Taking inspiration from insects found in nature, there has been a growing interest in the field of soft robotics, aiming to replicate various locomotion patterns observed in these creatures. One noteworthy wireless actuation technique employed in driving soft magnetic robots for diverse applications is magnetic actuation. While recent advancements in soft materials research have undoubtedly propelled the development of soft robots, achieving efficient locomotion in in-vivo biomedical applications remains a major challenge. In this paper, we present the design of an eight-legged soft robot due to the inspiration from locomotion of centipedes. The robot is fabricated through the blending of magnetic particles with silicone polymers, followed by magnetization using a specific magnetic field. Powered by custom-made electromagnetic coils, the prototypes are actuated by an external magnetic field within the range of 5 to 9 mT. Experimental outcomes vividly illustrate the soft robot's exceptional capacity to attain high-speed locomotion, spanning from 0.536 to 1.604 mm per second across diverse surfaces, including paper, wood, and PMMA. Through extensive experiments, we showcase the soft robot's impressive aptitude for navigating irregular biological terrains and supporting external loads. These findings underscore the substantial promise of the envisaged soft robot for applications in biomedicine.