Robot Researchers

There is a group of researchers in Cornell University who work on robots. They believe that in the future, robots will be mainly softbots. A softbot is a simple robot made out of soft tissue. With the help of the tissue, it can move more easily and with more flexibility than hard-bodied robots. These days, with the development of 3D printers, it’s easier to design softbots. However, researchers still have some questions in their collective mind. They are about the appearance of the robots, and their movements. Actually, we know how we look and how we move, but we don’t know how robots should move.

Researchers are brainstorming about the movements and trying to find the most appropriate ones. When they finalize the options, they’ll choose the best. In order to figure out the best actions, researchers also built a computer programme. It shows the developments and movements of many softbots. They design a good number of softbot robots using tissue, bone and muscle. Then, robots take a test through that computer programme. Their balance, coordination, speed and noise (the sounds they make when moving) are tested.

Researchers have tried many robots with and without legs. The fastest ones have four legs and move like cheetahs. The front legs move together while the back legs move forwards. They also tried robots without legs, designed with muscles only, but they weren’t fast enough. The only advantage of these robots without legs is when they are picked up and placed elsewhere they continue without an issue.

Researchers are still working on different types of robot bodies and hopefully they will be in our lives soon. As long as Cornell researchers keep brainstorming, we can always have the best options to choose from.

Adapted from Readworks’ website.