An Untethered Bionic Soft Robotic Vehicle With Magnetic Actuation and Control for Multi-Scenario Applications

In this study, a bionic soft robotic vehicle is designed with overall dimensions of 22.7 mm in length and 22 mm in width and weighs just 1.69 g. The robotic vehicle can realize precise motion control through a rotating magnetic field generated by Helmholtz coils. In the rotating magnetic field environment, by changing the parameters of the input current waveform, the vehicle can perform a variety of modes of motion, such as forward, backward, steering, and more. Furthermore, the robotic vehicle exhibits excellent motion performance. It is capable of moving stably on a variety of surfaces, including glass, wooden board, frosted board, and sandy soil, and can even successfully climb over obstacles as high as 30°. In particular, it can climb over a 20° barrier at 11.87 mm/s when loaded with three times its own weight (5 g). At the functional level, the robotic vehicle showcases its capabilities in obstacle clearance, path planning, and detection, underscoring its potential for performing complex tasks.