Shropshire Star

These origami robots use shape-shifting exoskeletons to glide, swim and walk

The technology could be used in anything from deep-sea construction to disaster-relief.

Published
(Jason Dorfman, MIT CSAIL)

Scientists from the US have created robots capable of shape-shifting, allowing them to adapt to an array of different tasks.

The technology is capable of walking, rolling, sailing and gliding using a variety of recyclable exoskeletons.

The technology starts as sheets of plastic, before being programmed with a precise series of indentations. These creases mean they will fold into specific shapes when heated – shapes which can then perform a unique task.

A diagram showing the different exoskeletons
(Jason Dorfman, MIT CSAIL)

“Instead of creating two robots for the two tasks, you can use a single robot with multiple exoskeletons that enable it to boat across the river and then carry payloads on the other side.”

The boat bot
(MIT CSAIL)

“This builds nicely on that work to develop a basic robot body and fine-tuned ‘super-suits’ (exoskeletons) that the body can pick up and drop off for different tasks.”

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