Modular Sensor Integration into Soft Robots using Stretchable Wires for Nuclear Infrastructure Inspection and Radiation Spectroscopy

Abstract

Soft robots are uniquely suited for applications in inspection, search and rescue, and exploration in confined and unstructured environments. Leveraging the benefits of these soft robots will increasingly require the integration of equally compliant electronic components for sensing, actuation, control, and computation to maintain mechanical conformability at the system level. In this work, we demonstrate the integration of modular electronic sensors into a robotic snake platform using stretchable interconnects. Aimed at applications in nuclear infrastructure inspection, included sensors include visual perception and on-board radiation spectroscopy. In addition to high mechanical compliance, the stretchable interconnect enables physical separation of analog sensors and digital electronics for use in radiation environments. We present details of stretchable electronics fabrication and integration, standalone validation of integrated sensors, and field test results from a simulated nuclear infrastructure inspection task.