Hydraulic hydrogel actuators and robots optically and sonically camouflaged in water

Sea animals such as leptocephali develop tissues and organs composed of active transparent hydrogels to achieve agile motions and natural camouflage in water. Hydrogel-based actuators that can imitate the capabilities of leptocephali will enable new applications in diverse fields. However, existing hydrogel actuators, mostly osmotic-driven, are intrinsically low-speed and/or low-force; and their camouflage capabilities have not been explored. Here we show that hydraulic actuations of hydrogels with designed structures and properties can give soft actuators and robots that are high-speed, high-force, and optically and sonically camouflaged in water. The hydrogel actuators and robots can maintain their…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 1253495, CMMI-1253495
• CS
  Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
• S
  Samsung
• MU
  Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative

  Award: N00014-13-1-0631
• NS
  Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
• OO
  Office of Naval Research

  Awards: N00014-13-1-0631, N00014-14-1-0528, N00014
• DO
  Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation

  Award: CMMI-1253495