MORE | Fall 2024

Design and Development of a Worm-like Jumping Robot Powered by Twisted and Coiled Actuators

The gall midge larvae have an impressive horizontal travel distance of about 36 times its body length. Inspired by the gall midge larvae, the project aims to develop a soft worm-like robot using Twisted and Coiled Actuators (TCAs). An automated manufacturing machine will be constructed to create the TCAs that control the twisting and coiling of the muscles. A light legless robot with a silicone body along with these artificial muscles will perform different locomotion according to the initial configuration, which includes crawling, continuous small jumping, and single long jump.