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A military robot that breaks down on the battlefield is a liability, increasing the risk of being spotted by enemies and slowing down the force, this is especially true when legged robots ‘injure’ a leg. Because of this, it is likely that militaries would invest time and money to research and develop technologies that can ‘heal’ injured robots on the battlefield.
Now, researchers from the University of Tokyo are using special joints and liquid metal to make it possible for a robot’s broken leg to heal. This new research into self-healing robotic joints could help pave the way towards autonomous and self-healing robots.
Legged robots are highly sought after in infantry units since, unlike wheeled robots, legged robots can climb stairs, inclines, and ladders, this is why the United States military is heavily invested in robotic military canines. However, if a robotic leg were to break in the field, soldiers are left either to try and repair the damage in the field or abandon the robot with hopes to retrieve it later, either way, a broken robotic leg can slow down and weaken troops.
The researchers from the University of Tokyo have designed a robotic joint surrounded by magnets and springs that are designed to separate and come back together when the joint breaks. Defensenews.com reports that the joint is made of an alloy material that melts at approximately 122 degrees Fahrenheit. When the joint breaks a module holds the alloy in place while the alloy is heated to melt. About thirty minutes later the melted alloy will help restrengthen the broken joint. Unfortunately though, the repaired leg will be weaker than it was before the damage, although this is preferred to a completely broken joint.
Even though the healing process takes time, a unit out in the field could take a quick break in order for the robot to repair itself. If time is of the essence, then theoretically the squad could continue on foot while the robot autonomously heals itself before autonomously walking back to base or to the squad.
