Hyper flexible robot with variable stiffness and shape

Abstract

This paper describes a hyper flexible morphing mobile agent. The agent has flexible gel states and can change its shape via a magnetic field. An initial prototype agent has been developed, the basic performances and characteristics, movement, and ability to change shape and stiffness of which have been confirmed through experiments. This hyper flexible morphing mobile agent can move into narrow spaces and change its shape to perform useful work, exploiting its morphing nature.