National Science Foundation CAREER Award winner Markus Nemitz of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will use his $599,815 prize to create a novel architecture for low-cost 3D printable robots that can swim, crawl, climb, and dive in dangerous and tight environments in search-and-rescue missions.
Nemitz, an assistant professor in WPI’s Department of Robotics Engineering, plans to use his expertise in the field to create disaster-specific miniature 3D printable robots with integrated fluidic circuits. His five-year effort will entail putting these robots through their paces in a scale copy of the Tham Luang cave in Thailand, where 12 members of a young football team and their coach were trapped by floods in 2018.
When asked about the Tham Luang cave situation, Nemitz replied, “Disasters typically necessitate unique, specialised approaches like as was necessary for the. The potential for the creation of tiny robots that can be easily assembled from pliable materials is enormous. Robots like this may be a huge help in rescue operations by venturing into dangerous or inaccessible locations like earthquake rubble, flooded areas, and even nuclear disaster sites.
Developing 3D printable robots for search-and-rescue
National Science Foundation CAREER Award winner Markus Nemitz of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will use his $599,815 prize to create a novel architecture for low-cost bespoke robots that can swim, crawl, climb, and dive in dangerous and tight environments in search-and-rescue missions.
Nemitz, an assistant professor in WPI’s Department of Robotics Engineering, plans to use his expertise in the field to create disaster-specific miniature 3D printable robots with integrated fluidic circuits. His five-year effort will entail putting these robots through their paces in a scale copy of the Tham Luang cave in Thailand, where 12 members of a young football team and their coach were trapped by floods in 2018.
When asked about the Tham Luang cave situation, Nemitz replied, “Disasters typically necessitate unique, specialised approaches like as was necessary for the. The potential for the creation of tiny robots that can be easily assembled from pliable materials is enormous. 3D printable robots like this may greatly help rescue operations by venturing into dangerous or inaccessible locations like earthquake rubble, flooded areas, and even nuclear disaster sites.
Nemitz plans to employ sophisticated manufacturing methods and flexible materials to enhance the disciplines of soft robotics and printable robotics. Specifically, he will work on merging electrical circuits with 3D-printed fluidic circuits in robots, which will require the creation of new concepts for robot design and manufacture. Pulses of air will be used in the fluidic circuits to store instructions, interpret data, and carry out basic commands for directing the robots. When paired with conventional electronics, the robustness of fluidic circuits against mechanical damage and electromagnetic interference promises to greatly increase the robots’ capabilities.
These 3D printable robots may be as little as a mouse or as large as a basketball, with a wide range of sizes in between. Nemitz will test the viability and efficiency of the robots by measuring how long it takes to design and manufacture them and how well they do at reaching defined goals inside the lab-based model cave system, all while using commercial 3D printers using elastomeric filaments.
Nemitz will not only handle the technical side of the project, but she will also create a robotics summer camp tailored to high school girls along with 3D printable robots. The establishment of a new undergraduate course on printable robotics is in line with this objective.
Also read: 3D Printed Vegan Calamari Rings Soon in the Menu
Space exploration, climate monitoring, and inspection activities in dangerous environments are just a few of the potential new uses revealed by this study, which expands on Nemitz’s earlier work with soft, programmable robots.
“3D printable robots can go to places beyond human reach,” Nemitz declared. These robots will improve rescuers’ ability, especially in the aftermath of natural catastrophes, thanks to sensors like microphones and cameras. We need to constantly innovate and create new technology to provide a quick and effective reaction to emergencies. The field of robotics is leading the way in this innovation.
About Manufactur3D Magazine: Manufactur3D is an online magazine on 3D Printing. Visit our Global News page for more updates on Global 3D Printing News. To stay up-to-date about the latest happenings in the 3D printing world, like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
