Traditionally, robots have been hard, made of metal and other rigid material. But a team of scientists at Harvard University in the US has managed to build an entirely soft robot-one that draws inspiration from an octopus (章鱼).
Described in science journal Nature, the “Octobot” could pave the way for more effective autonomous robots that could be used in search，rescue and exploration. “The Octobot is minimal system which may serve as a foundation for a new generation of completely soft, autonomous robots” the study’s authors wrote.
Robots built for precise, repetitive movements in a controlled environment don’t do so well on rough terrains (地形) or in unpredictable conditions. And they aren’t especially safe around humans, because they’re made out of hard and heavy parts that could be potentially dangerous to their users.
So researchers have been working on building soft robots for decades. They’re taken inspiration from nature, looking to animals from jellyfish to cockroaches, which are often made up of more flexible matter.
But creating a completely soft robot remains a challenge. Even if engineers build a silicone (硅酮) body, it’s still a grand challenge to construct flexible versions of essential parts, such as a source of power.
“Although soft robotics is still in its early stage, it holds great promise for several applications, such as search-rescue operations and exploration,” Barbara Mazzolai and Virgilio Mattoli of the Italian Institute of Technology’ Center for Micro-BioRobotics, wrote in a comment. “Soft robots might also open up new approaches to improving wellness and quality of life.”
1. What’s the special feature of “Octobot”？| A．It’s soft. | B．It’s made of metal. |
| C．It’s very small. | D．It looks like an octopus. |
| A．They’re hard to control. | B．They’re too heavy to move. |
| C．They can’t predict conditions. | D．They can’t behave well all the time. |
| A．silicone body | B．complex components |
| C．precise movements | D．flexible power source |
| A．Medical research. | B．Life rescue. |
| C．Machine operation. | D．House cleaning. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The SNAG stands for stereotyped nature-inspired aerial grasper and it’s a 3D-printed bird robot with claws. It can fly, stay on various surfaces catch and carry objects, just like the mighty falcon（隼）that was used as the source of inspiration in its development.
Each leg of the SNAG has two motors, one for helping it move back and forth, and the other one for grasping. Twenty printing attempts were necessary for the robot to finally reach its current structure, but it was worth it. Now, according to researchers, the flying machine has an impressively strong and high-speed clutch（离合器），being able to land and wrap its claws around a branch in about 20 milliseconds. SNAG has ankles lock, and there’s an accelerometer （加速计）on its right foot that reports that it’s landed while triggering（触发）a balancing process to stabilize it.
Scientists have already conducted several tests with the robot in rural areas and on different surfaces. In all the situations, the SNAG was able to catch objects thrown by hand, such as bean bags, a tennis ball, and more.
As for the applications of the bird-like robot, the SNAG can get attached to drones（无人机）and be used for search and rescue missions, wildfire monitoring, to offer just a few examples. Another great application is environmental research, with the SNAG also featuring a temperature and humidity（湿度）sensor. By using a robot that can act like a bird, you can unlock new ways of studying the environment, as explained by William Roderick, mechanical engineer and one of the researchers involved in the project. Now scientists are moving on to improving the robot’s situational awareness and flight control.
This isn’t the first time that nature has inspired groundbreaking technologies. We also wrote a piece recently about the F-SAM micro drone, which was inspired by the flight of samara（翼果）seeds, also known as “twisters” which have a special way of spinning down to the ground.
1. What gave the researchers inspiration for the SNAG’s development?| A．The plane. | B．The falcon. |
| C．The micro drone. | D．The samara seeds. |
| A．To balance the SNAG in flight. |
| B．To change the SNAG’s flying speed. |
| C．To keep the SNAG’s feet in balance. |
| D．To make the SNAG steady on a surface. |
| A．The SNAG has huge potential for practical use. |
| B．The SNAG has a long way to go before being used. |
| C．The SNAG will be helpful in putting out forest fires. |
| D．The SNAG is sensitive to temperature and humidity. |
| A．It doesn’t know its situation well. |
| B．It can’t fly fast enough in the air. |
| C．It is easily broken by the branches. |
| D．It can’t catch objects with smooth surfaces. |
Hong Kong, a city of seven million—and growing fast. By the year 2050 Hong Kong’s population will almost double. Where will these people live?
There’s only one place to go—up. Fast forward 50 years．This is the tallest man-made structure on the planet. Its name：Millennium Tower. It would stand twice as tall as anything built before. Over 60 thousand people would live or work here. Millennium’s designers think it represents the best solution for the coming population explosion.
It would cost ten billion dollars and consume more building materials than any single nation could produce. David Nelson, one of Millennium’s key designers, said：“It would be a massive project and a world project. But to actually realize it, resources would have to come from all over the globe. The challenge and the motivation for doing it would be to realize one of the world’s largest and most complex construction projects.”
Millennium would be more complex than anything ever built. So its builders won’t know for sure the building is safe until it’s up, and they can’t afford to make an error. Massive earthquakes have brought down entire cities in this part of the world. Can Millennium’s designers make it immune to these quakes of the earth?
For Millennium, like all the other buildings, safety is just one concern among many. It will need to be a home, one that welcomes people in. Getting people into the building and making sure they have a great experience well be what makes Millennium successful, but how to do it? For the design team, the secret was to bring all the elements of city life within. Cafes and restaurants, theatres and stores would provide entertainment. Health clubs, even schools and medical clinics would also serve the towers’ residents.
Millennium’s designers have proven something. Things that seem impossible today, might just become reality tomorrow. The engineering problems have, for the most part, already been solved. Our achievements are limited only by our imaginations.
1. Why did the designers decide to build Millennium?
| A．Because they wanted to build the world’s most complex building. |
| B．Because Hong Kong’s population will greatly increase. |
| C．Because Hong Kong is developing fast as an international city. |
| D．Because it can bring huge profit after it is put to use. |
| A．It will be completed in the year 2050. |
| B．It can accommodate all the residents in Hong Kong. |
| C．It is designed by designers from all over the globe. |
| D．It has to be strong enough to stand earthquakes. |
| A．how many resources will be used |
| B．how many nations will work together |
| C．whether people can enjoy their life in it |
| D．whether it is safe for people to live in |
| A．By providing descriptions. | B．By using figures. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By analyzing causes. |
【推荐3】In the near future, we may be using our eyes to operate our smart-phones and tablets, even when it comes to playing popular games like Fruit Ninja(水果忍者).
The Gaze Group has been developing eye-controlling computer technology for nearly 20 years. But those devices(设备) have been firstly designed to help those with disabilities, and are very expensive.
“After a while, we figured out that probably the best way is to go for a mass-market way,” says Gaze’s Sune Alstrup Johansen. “where everybody would have this available.”
Johansen and some of his colleagues have formed a new company, the Eye Tribe, which is hoping to develop the technology on a mass commercial level.
The technology works when combined with the computing device toward the user’s face. After making sure of the user’s eye movements, the technology is then able to easily find where a person’s eyes are moving, and then allow the eyes to control a cursor (光标).
“Our software can then determine the location of the eyes and know where you’re looking on the screen to make sure what you’re looking at,” reads an explanation on the Eye Tribe site.
There has been a gradual change toward hands-free technology in recent years, particularly in the gaming(电玩游戏) world. Recently Xbox released the Kinect device, which lets users control their Xbox and play certain games using only their hands, legs and voices. But still, most of these devices have been more of a trick than a practical way to use one’s hands to control a mobile device. Johansen said a replaceable filter (滤光器) would be a cheap, convenient way for most consumers.
And even as companies like The Eye Tribe work to create such a product for the average user, making the eye-controlling technology more accessible and less expensive will have similar benefits for physically disabled users.
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1. Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?| A．An introduction of a new product. |
| B．An introduction of smartphones and tablets. |
| C．An introduction of a new technology for the disabled. |
| D．An introduction of eye-controlling technology. |
| A．the eye-controlling technology |
| B．the Gaze Group |
| C．the mobile device |
| D．the mass-market way |
| A．the eye-controlling technology was first developed for the blind |
| B．there is no such phone as we can use only with our eyes at present |
| C．the present development of the technology will bring no good |
| D．the eye-controlling technology is only intended for the disabled people |
| A．an experiment report |
| B．a science fiction |
| C．a science website |
| D．a school textbook |
