When 3D printing and four-legged robots collide

If you ever watched Toy Story when you were a child, you probably imagined your toys coming to life; getting to their feet and walking around when you leave the room. 

That childhood dream was the first thing that came to mind when we heard about a new breakthrough in soft robotics – scientists have created four-legged robots that can stand up and walk out of the 3D printer that makes them. 

Who made the robots? 

A team of researchers at Edinburgh University. They wanted to develop a low-cost desktop 3D printing system to allow users to create soft robots; machines made from pliable materials that have a wide range of potential use cases, from space exploration to biomedicine. 

It’s difficult to scale the manufacturing of soft robotics – and that stands in the way of adoption across industries. But the Edinburgh team’s setup can be put together for less than £400, using parts that are widely available off-the-shelf. 

According to the journal paper that details this development, the ‘Flex Printer’ “reliably prints ultra-flexible soft robots with embedded fluidic logic using an innovative upside-down orientation, greatly expanding printable geometries.” 

How do they walk? 

When the robots have been printed, they’re connected to a compressed air supply – and then they can walk out of the machine. 

In a statement, Maks Gepner (lead engineer on the project) said it used to take years to figure out how to print with soft materials; but “using our new platform, anyone can now easily print things which were previously thought to be impossible.” 

This development, particularly as it’s accessible at a low cost, could drive rapid change in the way engineers (and even artists) work, and expedite a new wave of scientific breakthroughs. 

A system that novice techies can build

Possibly the most powerful thing about the Flex Printer is that you don’t have to have loads of technical knowledge to build it. Its developers suggest that a first-time user could assemble it and start making robots in a matter of days. 

They’ve made the designs publicly available – with the goal of democratising access to soft robotics technologies, and fostering collaboration to enable improvements to the Flex Printer over time. 

Which reminds us of something will.i.am (American Rapper, Futurist and Tech Entrepreneur) said at LEAP 2023: 

“Right now is the most exciting time to be creative. This is the age of the idea person. Because now you can materialise an idea instantly. You don’t have to wait for someone to open the door for you.

“You don’t have to play an instrument – you can speak to the machine and the machine will be able to execute what’s inside your mind. We’ve never seen this liberation when it comes to the individual with an idea.”

The ability to print walking robots definitely speaks to this being the era of the ideas person. We’ll be staying tuned in to upcoming developments in soft robotics, as accessible tech creates new possibilities in science and industry.