“章魚機(jī)器人”開啟軟體機(jī)器人新時(shí)代

Traditionally, robots have been stiff, *angular entities, made of metal and other rigid materials (think C-3PO in Star Wars). But a team of scientists at Harvard University in the US has managed to build an entirely soft robot – one that draws inspiration from an *octopus.

傳統(tǒng)意義上的機(jī)器人堅(jiān)硬、棱角分明，多由金屬以及其他剛性材料構(gòu)成(想想《星球大戰(zhàn)》里的C-3PO就知道了)。但受到一只章魚的啟發(fā)，美國(guó)哈佛大學(xué)的一個(gè)科學(xué)家團(tuán)隊(duì)制造了一個(gè)全軟體機(jī)器人。

Described in science journal Nature, the “Octobot” could pave the way for more effective *automatons that could be used in search and rescue, exploration and to more safely interact with humans.

據(jù)科學(xué)期刊《自然》描述，這種“章魚機(jī)器人”為發(fā)明更有效的機(jī)器人鋪平了道路，將來能用于研究、救援、探測(cè)等方面，和人類互動(dòng)也更為安全。

“The octobot is a minimal system designed to demonstrate our integrated design and *fabrication strategy,” the study’s authors wrote, “which may serve as a foundation for a new generation of completely soft, autonomous robots.”

“章魚機(jī)器人是一個(gè)最小化的系統(tǒng)，其設(shè)計(jì)體現(xiàn)出了我們的整合設(shè)計(jì)以及制造策略，”該研究的作者寫道，“這或許會(huì)為新一代全軟體自動(dòng)機(jī)器人打下基礎(chǔ)。”

Robots built for precise, repetitive movements in a controlled environment don’t do so well on rough *terrains or in unpredictable conditions. And they aren’t especially safe around humans, because they’re made out of hard and heavy parts that could be potentially dangerous to their flesh-and-bone counterparts.

在受控環(huán)境中用于重復(fù)性精確運(yùn)動(dòng)的機(jī)器人在崎嶇地形或不可預(yù)測(cè)的條件下表現(xiàn)不佳，且對(duì)人們而言并非十分安全，因?yàn)檫@些機(jī)器人由堅(jiān)硬沉重的部件組成，對(duì)人類的血肉之軀來說或許是個(gè)潛在的危險(xiǎn)。

So researchers have been working on building soft robots for decades. They’ve taken inspiration from nature, looking to animals from jellyfish to *cockroaches, which are often composed of more *malleable matter.

因此，研究人員們數(shù)十年來一直在研究建造軟體機(jī)器人。它們從大自然中汲取靈感，借鑒了從水母到蟑螂等由更多可塑性物質(zhì)組成的動(dòng)物。

But creating a completely soft robot remains a challenge. Even if engineers build a *silicone body, it’s still a *feat to construct flexible versions of essential internals, such as *circuitry and a source of power.

但創(chuàng)造出一個(gè)全軟體機(jī)器人依然是個(gè)挑戰(zhàn)。即便工程師們建造出了一個(gè)硅膠主體，但能制造出有彈性的電路系統(tǒng)以及電源等必要的內(nèi)在部件依然是一大成功。

“Creating a new class of fully soft, autonomous robots is a grand challenge, because it requires soft *analogues of the control and power hardware currently used,” the study’s authors wrote.

“創(chuàng)造新一級(jí)全軟體自動(dòng)機(jī)器人是個(gè)巨大的挑戰(zhàn)，因?yàn)樗枰F(xiàn)有的控制以及電源硬件類似的柔性材料，”該研究的作者寫道。

However, researchers from Harvard University managed to do just that. Octobot’s eight arms move thanks to a system of *inflatable *compartments. The moving parts are connected to a network of channels that send liquid fuel to mix with a *platinum-based catalyst inside reaction chambers. As the fuel *decomposes, it releases pressurized oxygen that inflates chambers, allowing the Octobot’s “tentacles” to move.

然而，哈佛大學(xué)的研究人員卻做到了這一點(diǎn)。章魚機(jī)器人的八只機(jī)械臂由一個(gè)充氣腔系統(tǒng)來驅(qū)動(dòng)。這些運(yùn)動(dòng)部件與一個(gè)管道網(wǎng)絡(luò)相連。這個(gè)管道網(wǎng)絡(luò)能輸送液體燃料，將其與反應(yīng)室中的以鉑為原料的催化劑混合。隨著燃料的不斷分解，將會(huì)釋放出充滿整個(gè)反應(yīng)室的加壓氧氣，讓章魚機(jī)器人的“觸手”移動(dòng)。

The movements are controlled by a series of logic gates – basically a fluid-filled version of a circuit board. The scientists managed to create this complex system using several techniques, including *soft-lithography and 3-D printing.

(章魚機(jī)器人)的行動(dòng)由一系列邏輯門進(jìn)行控制 —— 基本上就是一個(gè)充滿液體的電路板?？茖W(xué)家們?cè)O(shè)法運(yùn)用多種技術(shù)來創(chuàng)造這一復(fù)雜的系統(tǒng)，包括軟光刻技術(shù)以及3-D打印技術(shù)等等。

Octobot is just the first step toward creating more advanced and capable machines, according to researchers. Its current capabilities are very limited, but designing and building more complex robots will mean integrating several different materials and introducing many new abilities, including more advanced movement, power and control. And despite its current *rudimentary status, octobot shows that this can be done.

研究人員表示，章魚機(jī)器人是創(chuàng)造更先進(jìn)、更有能力的機(jī)器的第一步?，F(xiàn)在章魚機(jī)器人的能力還十分有限，但設(shè)計(jì)制造更復(fù)雜的機(jī)器人將意味著整合多種不同的材料，增加許多新技能，如更先進(jìn)的運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)、電源以及控制系統(tǒng)。盡管章魚機(jī)器人目前還處于初步階段，但它卻展現(xiàn)了做到這一切的可能性。

“Although soft robotics is still in its infancy, it holds great promise for several applications, such as servicing and inspecting machinery, search-and-rescue operations, and exploration,” Barbara Mazzolai and Virgilio Mattoli of the Italian Institute of Technology’s Center for Micro-BioRobotics, wrote in a commentary. “Soft robots might also open up new approaches to improving wellness and quality of life.”

“盡管軟體機(jī)器人還在雛形階段，但它在維修檢查機(jī)械、搜索救援行動(dòng)以及勘測(cè)等幾種用途上大有可為，”意大利技術(shù)研究院微型仿生機(jī)器人中心的芭芭拉·瑪祖萊以及維爾吉利奧·馬托蒂在一則評(píng)論中寫道。“軟體機(jī)器人或許還能開辟改善健康和生活質(zhì)量的新途徑。”