A Caterpillar-Inspired Soft Robot Based on Thermal Expansion

Abstract

This paper reports caterpillar-inspired soft robot based on thermal expansion with stretchable bending and flexible temperature sensor. The movement of soft robot was based on thermal expansion with highly volatile liquid. On account of thermodynamic method, this soft robot must have a bending sensor for the movement and a temperature sensor to monitor the soft robot's state at that moment. The primary objective of this research is to resolve the integration between soft sensor and actuator. The actuator bends due to thermal expansion. The system could control the thermal expansion change from the resistance of the calculated bending sensor.