多功能仿生软体机器人设计理论与制造技术研究

Multifunctional biomimetic soft robot based on soft active materials is the frontier research field of Coexisting-Cooperative-Cognitive robots. Primary investigations include developing novel biomimetic actuation mechanisms, design theories for soft actuation structures, mechanics of soft active materials, design of soft active materials and interfaces, and controllable fabrication methods for soft multi-materials/multi-structures. In this project, researchers from bionics, mechanics and mechanical engineering will work together on the following studies. First, after a well understanding of the related properties and behaviors, we will capture the new biomimetic actuation mechanisms across multiscales from nature, which will be used to design and optimize the actuation structures. Second, we will develop stress state-dependent viscoelastic constitutive relations for soft active materials based on comprehensive studies on deformation behaviors at both macro and micro scales, and obtain the associated failure mechanisms, as well as the interactions between deformation and various functions. Meanwhile, novel soft active materials and interfaces between them will be designed based on mechanical mechanisms. Third, this project aims at developing the composite fabrication process for multi-scale and multi-material system based on integrating additive manufacturing and nano-imprint technique, and realizing controllable fabrication of multifunctional biomimetic soft robot. Investigations in this project will pave the way to develop superior multifunctional biomimetic soft robots using soft active materials possessing various advantages, such as large deformation, light weight, transparent, etc.

基于智能软材料的多功能仿生软体机器人研究处于共融机器人领域的前沿，新的仿生驱动机理与驱动结构设计理论、智能软材料多场耦合力学与材料及界面设计和柔性多材料体系/物理结构的可控制造方法是核心问题。本项目通过仿生学、力学和机械多学科交叉研究，深入理解并获得新的生命体多尺度仿生驱动机理，并进行仿生驱动结构设计与优化；在对材料宏微观变形深入研究的基础上，建立智能软材料多场耦合作用下应力状态依赖的粘弹性本构关系、获得多场耦合失效机制以及变形与透明、调波、发光等多功能耦合机理，并基于力学机制设计高性能智能软材料及强韧界面；发展增材/压印复合的柔性多材料体系/物理结构的材料-结构一体化设计与制造方法，实现多功能仿生软体机器人的控形控性制造。本项目的研究成果将为利用智能软材料柔软、轻质、可透明等特性制造具备高度仿生、高度灵活、高度柔顺等传统机器人不具备的新型多功能仿生软体机器人提供重要的理论和技术支持。

本项目围绕多功能仿生软体机器人设计中的关键科学问题，开展了仿生驱动机理与驱动结构设计、智能软材料多场耦合力学与材料及界面设计、多功能软体机器人材料-结构一体化设计与制造技术等方面的研究并取得了以下成果：（1）基于仿生驱动的机理研究和新型驱动结构设计，发展了新型软体机器人，包括仿章鱼手多自由度柔性臂、介电高弹体爬行机器人、适应极高静水压力的深海软体智能机器人、弹跳式球形机器人、折纸型气动软体机械臂等；（2）发展了软材料基于微观变形机制的大变形本构关系，可以描述材料的软化、硬化和应力状态依赖性以及多场耦合关系，并进一步发展了考虑损伤和黏弹性的本构关系；开展了软材料多种失效行为研究，包括软材料穿刺破坏、力电耦合失稳、缺陷演化机理等；开展了软体机器智能软材料构筑方法、复合导电凝胶及阵列式传感方面的研究；（3）发展了软体机器人多材料体系/物理结构的宏/微纳跨尺度制造技术，包括：软体机器与软体器件的多功能多材料3/4D打印技术、柔性微纳结构的结构场约束压印制造等，搭建了增材制造原型装置和热纳米压印原型装置。本项目共发表期刊论文89篇（含已接受1篇），包括Nature 1篇、Science Advances 2篇、Nature Communications 1篇、National Science Review 1篇、Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 9篇等。本项目的研究成果为软体机器人的设计与制造提供了重要支撑。