Bioinspired Inchworm‐ and Earthworm‐like Soft Robots with Intrinsic Strain Sensing

Abstract

Stimulus‐responsive soft structures, with biological organs like intrinsic sensing, are needed to enable controlled movements and hence bring the transformative advances in soft robotics. Herein, bioinspired inchworm‐ and earthworm‐like soft structures with intrinsic strain sensing achieved by seamless embedding of a graphite‐paste‐based sensor material are presented. The developed strain sensor exhibits a record stretchability (900%) and sensitivity (of 103 up to ≈200 and of the order of 105 at around 700% linear strain). With tiny permanent magnets incorporated at the ends of these soft structures, the sensory‐feedback‐based controlled movements of magnetically driven inchworm‐ and earthworm‐like soft robots are also demonstrated. The presented results potentially boost the prospects of self‐sensing in soft robots and advance the field toward cognitive soft robotics.

Keywords

• bioinspired systems
• intrinsic sensing
• sensory feedback
• soft robots
• strain sensors