4D Printed Self‐Sustained Soft Crawling Machines Fueled by Constant Thermal Field

Abstract

Abstract Environmentally fueled sustainable autonomous locomotion is an advanced intelligent behavior analogous to unconscious actions in biological organisms, such as heartbeat and peristalsis. In this study, a self‐sustaining oscillating soft robot is introduced with eccentric hinge structures inspired by the crawling locomotion of mollusks. A parameter‐encoded 4D printing method is utilized to pre‐program local strain of the eccentric hinge structure, and thus endows the soft robot with sustainable crawling motions under constant thermal field. Through the coupling design of substrate friction, eccentric hinge constitution, and the substrate temperature, the soft robot can achieve tunable crawling, rolling, and oscillating. Two applications, namely an optical chopper and a power generator are presented as proof of concepts. This work offers a viable solution for soft robots for applications in constrained environments such as the aerospace and medical fields.