TECH BYTES WORDS MATTHEW GOODING
The latest news and updates from the Cambridge Cluster
SELF- HEALING ROBOTS?
Self-healing robots that can ‘feel’ pain are being developed by a team in Cambridge. Robotics experts at the University of Cambridge’s department of engineering are part of a €3m project known by the catchy acronym SHERO, which stands for self-healing soft robotics. Its aim is to create a next- generation robot made from self- healing materials (usually flexible plastics) that can detect damage, temporarily heal itself and then resume its work – all without the need for human interaction. Though that may all sound a bit Terminator, it could potentially be very
useful in industrial settings, making robots more sustainable, as well as removing the burden of costly repairs. The Cambridge team, led by Dr Fumiya Iida, reader in robotics, are looking at integrating self-healing materials into soft robotic arms. Dr Thomas George Thuruthel, research associate in soft robotics sensing and self-healing at the engineering department, said self- healing materials could also have future applications in fields such as modular, educational and evolutionary robotics, where a single robot could be ‘recycled’ to generate a fresh prototype.
“We will be using machine learning to work on the modelling and integration of these self-healing materials to include self-healing actuators and sensors, damage detection, localisation and controlled healing,” he explained. “The adaptation of models after loss of sensory data and during the healing process is another area we are looking to address. The end goal is to integrate the self-healing sensors and actuators into demonstration platforms in order to perform specific tasks.” Research into self-healing materials has been going on for several years, and this project could be the next step
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