Popcorn-Driven Robotic Actuators

Jul-10-18 Popcorn-driven actuators offer a novel, if one-way, method of controlling robots.

Developed by a team from Cornell University, the actuators are based on the potential energy stored in a popcorn kernel, which will expand rapidly and with great force when heated. In their proof-of-concept demonstration, the team created a soft, popcorn-driven robotic gripper made of silicon sheets and able to lift a one hundred gram weight.

Although the popcorn actuators can only perform their function once, the team believes they could have applications in jamming, elastomer and origami actuators, as well as functioning as an indirect power source in rigid-link grippers.

More Info about this Invention:

[IEEE.ORG]
[CEI.ECE.CORNELL.EDU]

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