Engineers have developed a method to re-create the arrangement of muscles of an octopus tentacle, using an elastomer and 3D printer.
The research by Cornell University is ground-breaking. Till now, 3D printing methods could not print a soft robotic device with as much agility and degree of freedom as the new method provides, according to senior study author Rob Shepherd, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
The research team developed the mechanical design using a digital mask projection stereolithography system for the 3D printing of soft actuators.
"Based on the demonstration reported here and the possibilities for improved materials, this nascent printing process for soft actuators is a promising route to sophisticated, biomimetic systems," said lead author Bryan Peele.
The study was published in the journal Bioinspiration & Biomimetics.
