Journal of Bionic Engineering (2023) 20:506–514https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-022-00296-9

A Programmable Inchworm?Inspired Soft Robot Powered by a Rotating Magnetic Field 

Honglin Shen1  · Shuxiang Cai1  · Zhen Wang1  · Zheng Yuan1  · Haibo Yu2  · Wenguang Yang1

1 School of Electromechanical and Automotive Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China

 2 State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China 

 AbstractWith the growing demand for miniaturized workspaces, the demand for microrobots has been increasing in robotics research. Compared to traditional rigid robots, soft robots have better robustness and safety. With a fexible structure, soft robots can undergo large deformations and achieve a variety of motion states. Researchers are working to design and fabricate fexible robots based on biomimetic principles, using magnetic felds for cable-free actuation. In this study, we propose an inchwormshaped soft robot driven by a magnetic feld. First, a robot is designed and fabricated and force analysis is performed. Then, factors afecting the soft robot’s motion speed are examined, including the spacing between the magnets and the strength and frequency of the magnetic feld. On this basis, the motion characteristics of the robot in diferent shapes are explored, and its motion modes such as climbing are experimentally investigated. The results show that the motion of the robot can be controlled in a two-dimensional plane, and its movement speed can be controlled by adjusting the strength of the magnetic feld and other factors. Our proposed soft robot is expected to fnd extensive applications in various felds.

 Keywords Soft robot · Bio-inspired soft robot · Magnetic actuation