This paper introduces the concept of "FlowBots" - a new class of soft robots that operate under a state of continuous fluid flow recirculation. FlowBots are designed to take advantage of the properties of recirculating fluid flow to embed control functionality directly into the structure of the robot, reducing the need for external control systems.
The key highlights and insights are:
Localised pressure asymmetries arising from viscous losses in the fluid flow can be used to achieve analogue, bidirectional control of soft actuators without the need for complex routing architectures.
The ability to switch between parallel and series configurations of actuators in a recirculating flow system can simplify the control architecture of multi-actuator soft robots, enabling independent control with fewer control inputs.
The embodiment of control functionality in the fluid flow characteristics allows FlowBots to be additively manufactured as a single, monolithic part with no moving components, enabling rapid prototyping, increased robustness, and more sustainable manufacturing.
FlowBots can operate consistently using both compressible (air) and incompressible (water) working fluids, providing flexibility in their deployment.
The authors demonstrate the principles of FlowBots through three examples: a bidirectional actuator, a gripper, and a quadruped robot with a swimming gait. These examples build upon each other, showcasing the increasing complexity of FlowBot designs that can be achieved by leveraging the characteristics of recirculating fluid flow.
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