Soft robots are robots comprised entirely or partially out of soft materials. Their soft nature provides these robots with unique qualities such as the ability to yield when pressed against a hard surface as well as protections against blunt trauma. Soft robots are not only more gentle, but also can bend and contort to a degree that rigid robots simply can not.
My ultimate goal is to have a robot that can be used in real world situations and environments. In order to be successful, the robot will need to be capable of forward locomotion and be agile enough to avoid or circumvent obstacles in its path. Additionally, the robot should be durable enough to withstand environmental hazards such as sticks, brush, and sharp objects with minimal impact. Such a robot could be potentially used in search and rescue missions or in the study of delicate ecosystems with limited physical damage to the environment. For the purposes of this competition my goal is to fabricate a robot that effectively displays directional movement as well as basic obstacle avoidance capabilities.
In the Background section I go over different types of soft robots and how they exhibit forward motion.
In the Design section I review the final version of the robot and the various design decisions, concepts, and prototypes that went into development of the FRMCR. I also discuss future improvements as well as possible applications for the concepts introduced. The Fabrication section provides complete assembly instructions as well as the BOM, the required .STL file, and coding information. The final prototype will be showcased in the Testing section.