Automation in the life science research laboratory is a paradigm that has gained increasing relevance in recent years. Current robotic solutions often have a limited scope, which reduces their acceptance and prevents the realization of complex workflows. The transport and manipulation of laboratory supplies with a robot is a particular case where this limitation manifests. In this paper, we deduce a taxonomy of biolaboratory liquid containers that clarifies the need for a flexible grasping solution. Using the taxonomy as a guideline, we design fingers for a parallel robotic gripper which are developed with a monolithic dual-extrusion 3D print that integrates rigid and soft materials to optimize gripping properties. We design fine-tuned fingertips that provide stable grasps of the containers in question. A simple actuation system and a low weight are maintained by adopting a passive compliant mechanism. The ability to resist chemicals and high temperatures and the integration with a tool exchange system render the fingers usable for daily laboratory use and complex workflows. We present the task suitability of the fingers in experiments that show the wide range of vessels that can be handled as well as their tolerance against displacements and their grasp stability.

A dragline-forming technology has been previously proposed to enable locomotion through an open-space where no solid surfaces present. The technology is intended for situations where payload requirements are unanticipated. In those situations, variability in dragline's diameter can minimize the use of material hence increase self-sufficiency of the robot. In a previous study, a robot was designed, prototyped and proven to be able to descend through an open-space by forming a thermoplastic dragline with a diameter range of 1.1-4.5 mm. However, the speed of locomotion was rather low due to the lack of an adequate control method for thermoplastic dragline formation. In this paper, models of mass flow and thermodynamics along dragline formation pathway are presented. The models are validated in a newly prototyped robot which forms a dragline continuously. Experiment results show that, when compared to the previous prototype and control method which consists of repeated sequences of discrete events, the speed of descending locomotion is significantly increased and reaches 12.0 cm/min.

Robots composed of soft materials can achieve high deformability and conformity with unstructured and dynamic environments due to their body mechanics. However, it is challenging to gather desirable information about these robots' behaviors as conventional sensory systems are not designed to detect infinite degrees of freedom on continuum bodies. This paper presents a technical method to sensorize a soft elastic body by using conductive thermoplastic elastomer (CTPE) based strain gauge sensors. Due to its thermoplastic nature, CTPE based sensors can be fabricated in flexible sizes and shapes and integrated into the soft elastic bodies. We analyze soft elastic deformations and extract strain vectors to find finite unique regions on continuum surfaces. Then we use these regions to design the morphologies of our fiber shaped CTPE sensors to discriminate soft robotic behaviors. To demonstrate our approach and show how the programmable sensor morphologies discriminate different motion patterns, we have built a soft elastic prismatic silicone (E = 1.31MPa) block and designed two sensors to discriminate serpentine and twisting patterns.

The paper presents a new concept of locomotion for wheeled or legged robots through an object-free space. The concept is inspired by the behaviour of spiders forming silk threads to move in 3D space. The approach provides the possibility of variation in thread diameter by deforming source material, therefore it is useful for a wider coverage of payload by mobile robots. As a case study, we propose a technology for descending locomotion through a free space with inverted formation of threads in variable diameters. Inverted thread formation is enabled with source material thermoplastic adhesive (TPA) through thermally-induced phase transition. To demonstrate the feasibility of the technology, we have designed and prototyped a 300-gram wheeled robot that can supply and deform TPA into a thread and descend with the thread from an existing hanging structure. Experiment results suggest repeatable inverted thread formation with a diameter range of 1.1-4.5 mm, and a locomotion speed of 0.73 cm per minute with a power consumption of 2.5 W.

Most legged vertebrates use flexible spines and supporting muscles to provide auxiliary power and dexterity for dynamic behaviors, resulting in higher speeds and additional maneuverability during locomotion. However, most existing legged robots capable of dynamic locomotion incorporate only a single rigid trunk with actuation limited to legs and associated joints. In this paper, we investigate how quadrupedal bounding can be achieved in the presence of an actuated spinal joint and characterize associated performance improvements compared to bounding with a rigid robot body. In the context of both a new controller structure for bounding with a body joint and existing bounding controllers for the rigid trunk, we use optimization methods to identify the highest performance gait parameters and establish that the spinal joint allows increased forward speeds and hopping heights.