AssetID: 55140896
Headline: Scientists create robot spider that can walk on water
Caption: **VIDEO AVAILABLE: CONTACT INFO@COVERMG.COM TO RECEIVE** U.S. scientists have built a scary spider robot that can walk on water. The robot arachnid has a purpose, however, as they hope such machines could one day track pollutants, collect water samples or explore flooded areas too dangerous for people. Professor Baoxing Xu, of the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, is leading efforts to make that vision a reality - even if it troubles arachnophobes. His team has developed a fabrication technique called HydroSpread, described in the journal Science Advances, which could transform the growing field of soft robotics. The method enables scientists to build soft, floating devices directly on water – a breakthrough that could have applications ranging from health care and electronics to environmental monitoring. Until now, thin flexible films used in soft robotics had to be created on rigid surfaces such as glass before being carefully peeled away and transferred to water, a fragile process prone to tearing. HydroSpread bypasses this by using liquid as the “workbench”. Droplets of liquid polymer naturally spread into ultra-thin, uniform sheets on the water’s surface, which can then be cut into intricate patterns with a precision laser – from strips and circles to even the University of Virginia logo. In laboratory tests, the team powered two devices with an overhead infrared heater. As the films warmed, their layered structures bent or buckled, creating paddling or walking motions. Switching the heat on and off allowed the robots to change speed and direction – evidence, the researchers say, that controlled and repeatable movement is achievable. Future designs could be made to respond to sunlight, magnetic fields or tiny embedded heaters, paving the way for autonomous soft robots that can move and adapt independently. “Fabricating the film directly on liquid gives us an unprecedented level of integration and precision,” said Prof Xu. “Instead of building on a rigid surface and then transferring the device, we let the liquid do the work to provide a perfectly smooth platform, reducing failure at every step.” The potential extends beyond robotics. By simplifying the production of delicate films without damaging them, HydroSpread could aid the development of wearable medical sensors, flexible electronics and environmental monitors – technologies that demand materials which are thin, soft and resilient. Prof Xu is a recognised expert in mechanics, compliant structures and bio-inspired engineering. His laboratory at Virginia focuses on drawing lessons from nature – such as insect locomotion – to create practical and robust devices for human use. The project was supported by the US National Science Foundation and 4-VA, with both graduate and undergraduate researchers contributing to the experiments.
Keywords: feature, video, photo, science, robot, spider
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