Broad Agency Announcement BAA 07 21 Proposal Title

Broad Agency Announcement: BAA 07 -21 Proposal Title: Chemical Robots Selectively Compliant, Reconfigurable Soft Robot Stanford University 26 June, 2007 Operational Capability • Mesoscale robot characterized by extreme elasticity • Capable of actively squeezing through openings significantly smaller than its characteristic size • Control of body curvature in two dimensions; ability to snake around obstacles and seek out openings for traversal • Performance estimates: • Rate of locomotion: ~1 meter per minute • Range: Between 15 and 30 meters (depending on # of contractile units) Proposed Technical Approach • Chemical energy source: Hydrogen peroxide • Inherently deformable within elastic membrane • High energy density • Actuation: Micro-dispensing valves release small amounts of liquid peroxide into elastic actuation chambers where it expands via a catalyst • Components: Micro-dispensing valves—the only hard components— 3 mm diameter x 10 mm long • Remainder of body is fully deformable up to 900% achievable strains • Team: Prior achievements in liquid chemical power and actuation, compliant bio-inspired running and climbing robots, and snake-like mesoscale robots Cost and Schedule • Phase I (18 months) costs: $1, 915, 467 • 6 -month milestone: Tethered demonstration of soft robot segment forward motion. • 12 -month milestone: Tethered demonstration of robot with ability to steer and locate and traverse aperture. • 18 -month (Phase I) deliverable: Untethered demonstration of peroxide-powered soft robot, including terrestrial locomotion, detection of an opening and traversal of an arbitrarily shaped aperture with a dimension of ~1 cm. Submitting Organization Mark R. Cutkosky Professor; Department of Mechanical Engineering Terman 523 Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 -4021 Phone: (650) 725 -1588, Fax: (650) 723 -3521 Email: cutkosky@stanford. edu