Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed a 3D-printed soft robotic hand that is capable of playing Nintendo’s 1980s iconic Super Mario Bros game. Soft robotics include new types of flexible or inflatable robots that are powered by air or water rather than electricity, as per a press release for the university.
The team of researchers was led by University of Maryland assistant professor of mechanical engineering Ryan D. Sochol. The team 3D-printed robot parts with integrated fluidic circuits in one shot. This enables the agility of the bot to play the game. It resembles a glove that is fully automated.
3D-printed circuitry
The team designed an integrated fluidic circuit, which allows the hand to operate in response to the strength of a single control pressure, states the press release. Researchers used Polyjet 3D Printing, which is layered printing that puts many layers of multi-material in 3D. The research was published in the journal Science Advances.
“Previously, each finger of a soft robotic hand would typically need its own control line, which can limit portability and usefulness,” said Joshua Hubbard, a study co-author. “But by 3D printing the soft robotic hand with our integrated ‘fluidic transistors,’ it can play Nintendo based on just one pressure input.”
Master at gaming?
While playing the game, low pressure on the bot’s first finger makes the game character walk, while high pressure makes it jump. The team designed a program that could differentiate between off, low, medium, and high pressures, which enabled the robot to beat the first level of the game within just 90 seconds.
But this doesn’t mean the robotic hand is just restricted to games. It could come in handy for a number of applications, but gaming is a good testing ground and fun at the same time.
Speaking of soft robots, researchers at UC Riverside have developed pneumatic computer memory that will enable soft robots to play the piano. The “air-powered” memory is based on microfluidic valves instead of using conventional transistors and electric circuits. This new memory can reduce the reliance on chips, making robots cheap.
