Leech‐Inspired Amphibious Soft Robot Driven by High‐Voltage Triboelectricity

Q Qiwei Zheng (National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University) L Liming Xin (School of Computer Engineering and Science Shanghai University Shanghai 200444 P. R. China) Q Qin Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Chemo and Biosensing, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) F Fan Shen (Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences) X Xiao Lu C Chen Cao (Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis, Gansu Province; State Key Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) C Chuanfu Xin (School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation Shanghai University Shanghai 200444 P. R. China) Y Yang Zhao H Heming Liu (Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Layered Materials for Value‐added Applications Key Laboratory of Electrocatalytic Materials and Green Hydrogen Technology of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes Institute of Materials Research Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School Tsinghua University Shenzhen People's Republic of China) Y Yan Peng (Chaotic Matter Science Research Center, Faculty of Materials Metallurgy and Chemistry) J Jun Luo H Hengyu Guo Z Zhongjie Li (School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation Shanghai University Shanghai 200444 P. R. China)

Abstract

AbstractLeech locomotion, characterized by alternating sucker attachment and body contraction provides high adaptability and stability on complex terrains. Herein, a leech‐inspired triboelectric soft robot is proposed for the first time, capable of amphibious movement, climbing, and load‐carrying crawling. A high‐performance triboelectric bionic robot system is developed to drive and control electro‐responsive soft robots. Its core components include: i) a leech‐inspired soft robot (LSR) made from segmented dielectric elastomer muscles. ii) The triboelectric sucker produces anisotropic frictional forces. iii) The multi‐channel high‐voltage output triboelectric nanogenerator (HDC‐TENG) effectively drives the LSR. iv) The high‐voltage triboelectric control unit adapted for the HDC‐TENG enables flexible LSR control. Using the scalable structure of the dielectric elastomer muscles enables the LSR to achieve a maximum crawling speed of 0.39 body lengths per minute on land (45 mm min−1) and 0.22 body lengths per minute in liquid (30.5 mm min−1). It can also carry a payload of 11.55 grams on acrylic while crawling. This research provides a sustainable and promising new solution for self‐powered high‐voltage energy sources suitable for electro‐responsive soft robots.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 37, Issue 8
Published February 01, 2025
ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher Unknown Publisher

Journal Info

Advanced Materials

Unknown Publisher

ISSN: 0935-9648 Physical Sciences

Authors (13)

Q

Qiwei Zheng

National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University

L

Liming Xin

School of Computer Engineering and Science Shanghai University Shanghai 200444 P. R. China

Q

Qin Zhang

State Key Laboratory of Chemo and Biosensing, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

F

Fan Shen

Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

X

Xiao Lu

C

Chen Cao

Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis, Gansu Province; State Key Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

C

Chuanfu Xin

School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation Shanghai University Shanghai 200444 P. R. China

Y

Yang Zhao

H

Heming Liu

Shenzhen Geim Graphene Center Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Layered Materials for Value‐added Applications Key Laboratory of Electrocatalytic Materials and Green Hydrogen Technology of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes Institute of Materials Research Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School Tsinghua University Shenzhen People's Republic of China

Y

Yan Peng

Chaotic Matter Science Research Center, Faculty of Materials Metallurgy and Chemistry

J

Jun Luo

H

Hengyu Guo

Z

Zhongjie Li

School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation Shanghai University Shanghai 200444 P. R. China