Traditionally, robots have been hard, made of metal and other rigid material. But a team of scientists at Harvard University in the US has managed to build an entirely soft robot-one that draws inspiration from an octopus(章鱼).
Described in science journal Nature, the "Octobot" could pave the way for more effective autonomous robots that could be used in search, rescue and exploration. "The Octobot is a minimal system which may serve as a foundation for a new generation of completely soft, autonomous robots, "the study's authors wrote.
Robots built for precise, repetitive movements in a controlled environment don't do so well on rough terrains(地形) or in unpredictable conditions. And they aren't especially safe around humans, because they're made out of hard and heavy parts that could be potentially dangerous to their users.
So researchers have been working on building soft robots for decades. They've taken inspiration from nature, looking to animals from jellyfish to cockroaches, which are often made up of more flexible matter.
But creating a completely soft robot remains a challenge. Even if engineers build a silicone(硅酮) body, it's still a grand challenge to construct flexible versions of essential parts, such as a source of power.
"Although soft robotics is still in its early stage, it holds great promise for several applications, such as search and rescue operations and exploration, "Barbara Mazzolai and Virgilio Mattoli of the Italian Institute of Technology's Center for MicroBioRobotics, wrote in a comment. "Soft robots might also open up new approaches to improving wellness and the quality of life. "
A man got lost while driving through a country. As he tried to read a map, he drove off the road into a ditch(沟渠) (lucky). Though he wasn't injured, his car was stuck deep the mud(泥). So the man had got to walk to nearby farm to ask for help.
"Warwick can get your car out of that ditch, " said the farmer, (point) to an old mule(骡). The man looked at the weak mule and the farmer just stood there repeating, "Yep, old Warwick can do the job." The man thought had nothing to lose. Therefore, he took the old man and Warwick to the ditch.
The farmer hitched(套住) the mule to the car and shouted, "Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!" And the mule pulled the car from the ditch very little effort.
The man was (amaze). He thanked the farmer and asked, "Why did you call out all of those names before you called Warwick?"
The farmer smiled and said, "Old Warwick is just about blind. Once he (believe) he's part of a team, he won't mind pulling."
