Mimicking mammals to advance 3D-printed robotics

3D printers can mimic mammalian biomechanical qualities to advance liquid-metal robotics, report University of Queensland, Australia, researchers.

Dr Ruirui Qiao and her University of Queensland team has developed a 3D-printing toolkit that produces shape-shifting, liquid metal, robotics with musculoskeletal qualities.

Qiao says these traits will be crucial to the next generation of rehabilitation medical devices.

The robots replicate the interconnected network of bone and muscle that give animals an efficiency and strength advantage.

Integrating ‘soft’, spherical, liquid-metal nanoparticles and ‘rigid’, rod-like, gallium-based nanorods into 3D-printing technology, can reportedly make devices and components that possess superior fluidity and strength for high-precision grippers and bioinspired motors.

These creations can take and hold different shapes and functions when exposed to stimuli such as heat and infrared light.