Wireless magnetic fields and actuator ‘muscles’ tagged posts

A magnetic folding robot arm can grasp and bend thanks to its pattern of origami-inspired folds and a wireless electromagnetic field. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University

Wireless magnetic fields and actuator ‘muscles’ allow folding robots to move without batteries. The traditional Japanese art of origami transforms a simple sheet of paper into complex, 3D shapes through a very specific pattern of folds, creases, and crimps. Folding robots based on that principle have emerged as an exciting new frontier of robotic design, but generally require onboard batteries or a wired connection to a power source, making them bulkier and clunkier than their paper inspiration and limiting their functionality.

A team at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and John A...