TEDxMileHigh
Christoph Keplinger: The artificial muscles that will power robots of the future
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Robot brains are getting smarter and smarter, but their bodies are often still clunky and unwieldy. Mechanical engineer Christoph Keplinger is designing a new generation of soft, agile robot inspired by a masterpiece of evolution: biological muscle. See these "artificial muscles" expand and contract like the real thing and reach superhuman speeds -- and learn how they could power prosthetics that are stronger and more efficient than human limbs.
Christoph Keplinger - Roboticist, mechanical engineer
Christoph Keplinger aims to fundamentally challenge current limitations of robotic hardware, combining soft matter physics and chemistry with advanced engineering technologies to create a new generation of lifelike robots. Full bio
Christoph Keplinger aims to fundamentally challenge current limitations of robotic hardware, combining soft matter physics and chemistry with advanced engineering technologies to create a new generation of lifelike robots. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
In 2015, 25 teams from around the world
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competed to build robots
for disaster response
for disaster response
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that could perform a number of tasks,
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such as using a power tool,
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working on uneven terrain
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and driving a car.
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That all sounds impressive, and it is,
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but look at the body
of the winning robot, HUBO.
of the winning robot, HUBO.
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Here, HUBO is trying to get out of a car,
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and keep in mind,
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the video is sped up three times.
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(Laughter)
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HUBO, from team KAIST out of Korea,
is a state-of-the-art robot
is a state-of-the-art robot
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with impressive capabilities,
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but this body doesn't look
all that different
all that different
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from robots we've seen a few decades ago.
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If you look at the other robots
in the competition,
in the competition,
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their movements also still look,
well, very robotic.
well, very robotic.
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Their bodies are complex
mechanical structures
mechanical structures
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using rigid materials
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such as metal and traditional
rigid electric motors.
rigid electric motors.
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They certainly weren't designed
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to be low-cost, safe near people
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and adaptable to unpredictable challenges.
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We've made good progress
with the brains of robots,
with the brains of robots,
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but their bodies are still primitive.
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This is my daughter Nadia.
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She's only five years old
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and she can get out of the car
way faster than HUBO.
way faster than HUBO.
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(Laughter)
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She can also swing around
on monkey bars with ease,
on monkey bars with ease,
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much better than any current
human-like robot could do.
human-like robot could do.
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In contrast to HUBO,
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the human body makes extensive use
of soft and deformable materials
of soft and deformable materials
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such as muscle and skin.
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We need a new generation of robot bodies
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that is inspired by the elegance,
efficiency and by the soft materials
efficiency and by the soft materials
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of the designs found in nature.
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And indeed, this has become
the key idea of a new field of research
the key idea of a new field of research
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called soft robotics.
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My research group
and collaborators around the world
and collaborators around the world
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are using soft components
inspired by muscle and skin
inspired by muscle and skin
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to build robots with agility and dexterity
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that comes closer and closer
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to the astonishing capabilities
of the organisms found in nature.
of the organisms found in nature.
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I've always been particularly inspired
by biological muscle.
by biological muscle.
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Now, that's not surprising.
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I'm also Austrian, and I know that I sound
a bit like Arnie, the Terminator.
a bit like Arnie, the Terminator.
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(Laughter)
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Biological muscle
is a true masterpiece of evolution.
is a true masterpiece of evolution.
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It can heal after damage
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and it's tightly integrated
with sensory neurons
with sensory neurons
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for feedback on motion
and the environment.
and the environment.
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It can contract fast enough
to power the high-speed wings
to power the high-speed wings
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of a hummingbird;
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it can grow strong enough
to move an elephant;
to move an elephant;
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and it's adaptable enough
to be used in the extremely versatile arms
to be used in the extremely versatile arms
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of an octopus,
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an animal that can squeeze
its entire body through tiny holes.
its entire body through tiny holes.
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Actuators are for robots
what muscles are for animals:
what muscles are for animals:
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key components of the body
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that enable movement
and interaction with the world.
and interaction with the world.
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So if we could build soft actuators,
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or artificial muscles,
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that are as versatile, adaptable
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and could have the same performance
as the real thing,
as the real thing,
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we could build almost any type of robot
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for almost any type of use.
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Not surprisingly,
people have tried for many decades
people have tried for many decades
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to replicate the astonishing
capabilities of muscle,
capabilities of muscle,
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but it's been really hard.
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About 10 years ago,
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when I did my PhD back in Austria,
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my colleagues and I rediscovered
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what is likely one of the very first
publications on artificial muscle,
publications on artificial muscle,
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published in 1880.
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"On the shape and volume changes
of dielectric bodies
of dielectric bodies
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caused by electricity,"
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published by German physicist
Wilhelm Röntgen.
Wilhelm Röntgen.
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Most of you know him
as the discoverer of the X-ray.
as the discoverer of the X-ray.
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Following his instructions,
we used a pair of needles.
we used a pair of needles.
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We connected it to a high-voltage source,
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and we placed it near
a transparent piece of rubber
a transparent piece of rubber
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that was prestretched
onto a plastic frame.
onto a plastic frame.
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When we switched on the voltage,
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the rubber deformed,
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and just like our biceps flexes our arm,
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the rubber flexed the plastic frame.
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It looks like magic.
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The needles don't even touch the rubber.
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Now, having two such needles
is not a practical way
is not a practical way
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of operating artificial muscles,
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but this amazing experiment
got me hooked on the topic.
got me hooked on the topic.
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I wanted to create new ways
to build artificial muscles
to build artificial muscles
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that would work well
for real-world applications.
for real-world applications.
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For the next years, I worked
on a number of different technologies
on a number of different technologies
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that all showed promise,
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but they all had remaining challenges
that are hard to overcome.
that are hard to overcome.
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In 2015,
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when I started my own lab at CU Boulder,
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I wanted to try an entirely new idea.
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I wanted to combine
the high speed and efficiency
the high speed and efficiency
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of electrically driven actuators
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with the versatility
of soft, fluidic actuators.
of soft, fluidic actuators.
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Therefore, I thought,
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maybe I can try using
really old science in a new way.
really old science in a new way.
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The diagram you see here
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shows an effect called Maxwell stress.
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When you take two metal plates
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and place them in a container
filled with oil,
filled with oil,
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and then switch on a voltage,
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the Maxwell stress forces the oil
up in between the two plates,
up in between the two plates,
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and that's what you see here.
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So the key idea was,
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can we use this effect to push around oil
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contained in soft stretchy structures?
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And indeed, this worked surprisingly well,
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quite honestly,
much better than I expected.
much better than I expected.
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Together with my
outstanding team of students,
outstanding team of students,
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we used this idea as a starting point
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to develop a new technology
called HASEL artificial muscles.
called HASEL artificial muscles.
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HASELs are gentle enough
to pick up a raspberry
to pick up a raspberry
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without damaging it.
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They can expand and contract
like real muscle.
like real muscle.
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And they can be operated
faster than the real thing.
faster than the real thing.
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They can also be scaled up
to deliver large forces.
to deliver large forces.
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Here you see them lifting
a gallon filled with water.
a gallon filled with water.
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They can be used to drive a robotic arm,
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and they can even
self-sense their position.
self-sense their position.
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HASELs can be used
for very precise movement,
for very precise movement,
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but they can also deliver
very fluidic, muscle-like movement
very fluidic, muscle-like movement
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and bursts of power
to shoot up a ball into the air.
to shoot up a ball into the air.
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When submerged in oil,
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HASEL artificial muscles
can be made invisible.
can be made invisible.
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So how do HASEL artificial muscles work?
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You might be surprised.
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They're based on very inexpensive,
easily available materials.
easily available materials.
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You can even try, and I recommend it,
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the main principle at home.
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Take a few Ziploc bags
and fill them with olive oil.
and fill them with olive oil.
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Try to push out air bubbles
as much as you can.
as much as you can.
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Now take a glass plate
and place it on one side of the bag.
and place it on one side of the bag.
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When you press down,
you see the bag contract.
you see the bag contract.
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Now the amount of contraction
is easy to control.
is easy to control.
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When you take a small weight,
you get a small contraction.
you get a small contraction.
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With a medium weight,
we get a medium contraction.
we get a medium contraction.
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And with a large weight,
you get a large contraction.
you get a large contraction.
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Now for HASELs, the only change
is to replace the force of your hand
is to replace the force of your hand
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or the weight with an electrical force.
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HASEL stands for "hydraulically amplified
self-healing electrostatic actuators."
self-healing electrostatic actuators."
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Here you see a geometry
called Peano-HASEL actuators,
called Peano-HASEL actuators,
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one of many possible designs.
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Again, you take a flexible polymer
such as our Ziploc bag,
such as our Ziploc bag,
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you fill it with an insulating liquid,
such as olive oil,
such as olive oil,
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and now, instead of the glass plate,
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you place an electrical conductor
on one side of the pouch.
on one side of the pouch.
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To create something
that looks more like a muscle fiber,
that looks more like a muscle fiber,
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you can connect a few pouches together
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and attached a weight on one side.
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Next, we apply voltage.
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Now, the electric field
starts acting on the liquid.
starts acting on the liquid.
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It displaces the liquid,
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and it forces the muscle to contract.
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Here you see a completed
Peano-HASEL actuator
Peano-HASEL actuator
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and how it expands and contracts
when voltage is applied.
when voltage is applied.
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Viewed from the side,
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you can really see those pouches
take a more cylindrical shape,
take a more cylindrical shape,
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such as we saw with the Ziploc bags.
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We can also place a few
such muscle fibers next to each other
such muscle fibers next to each other
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to create something that looks
even more like a muscle
even more like a muscle
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that also contracts and expands
in cross section.
in cross section.
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These HASELs here are lifting a weight
that's about 200 times heavier
that's about 200 times heavier
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than their own weight.
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Here you see one of our newest designs,
called quadrant donut HASELs
called quadrant donut HASELs
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and how they expand and contract.
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They can be operated incredibly fast,
reaching superhuman speeds.
reaching superhuman speeds.
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They are even powerful enough
to jump off the ground.
to jump off the ground.
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(Laughter)
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Overall, HASELs show promise
to become the first technology
to become the first technology
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that matches or exceeds the performance
of biological muscle
of biological muscle
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while being compatible
with large-scale manufacturing.
with large-scale manufacturing.
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This is also a very young technology.
We are just getting started.
We are just getting started.
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We have many ideas how to
drastically improve performance,
drastically improve performance,
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using new materials and new designs
to reach a level of performance
to reach a level of performance
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beyond biological muscle and also beyond
traditional rigid electric motors.
traditional rigid electric motors.
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Moving towards more complex designs
of HASEL for bio-inspired robotics,
of HASEL for bio-inspired robotics,
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here you see our artificial scorpion
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that can use its tail to hunt prey,
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in this case, a rubber balloon.
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(Laughter)
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Going back to our initial inspiration,
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the versatility of octopus arms
and elephant trunks,
and elephant trunks,
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we are now able to build
soft continuum actuators
soft continuum actuators
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that come closer and closer
to the capabilities of the real thing.
to the capabilities of the real thing.
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I am most excited
about the practical applications
about the practical applications
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of HASEL artificial muscles.
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They'll enable soft robotic devices
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that can improve the quality of life.
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Soft robotics will enable a new generation
of more lifelike prosthetics
of more lifelike prosthetics
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for people who have lost
parts of their bodies.
parts of their bodies.
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Here you see some HASELs in my lab,
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early testing,
driving a prosthetic finger.
driving a prosthetic finger.
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One day, we may even merge
our bodies with robotic parts.
our bodies with robotic parts.
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I know that sounds very scary at first.
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But when I think about my grandparents
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and the way they become
more dependent on others
more dependent on others
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to perform simple everyday tasks
such as using the restroom alone,
such as using the restroom alone,
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they often feel like
they're becoming a burden.
they're becoming a burden.
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With soft robotics, we will be able
to enhance and restore
to enhance and restore
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agility and dexterity,
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and thereby help older people
maintain autonomy
maintain autonomy
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for longer parts of their lives.
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Maybe we can call that
"robotics for antiaging"
"robotics for antiaging"
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or even a next stage of human evolution.
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Unlike their traditional
rigid counterparts,
rigid counterparts,
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soft life-like robots will safely operate
near people and help us at home.
near people and help us at home.
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Soft robotics is a very young field.
We're just getting started.
We're just getting started.
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I hope that many young people
from many different backgrounds
from many different backgrounds
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join us on this exciting journey
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and help shape the future of robotics
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by introducing new concepts
inspired by nature.
inspired by nature.
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If we do this right,
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we can improve the quality of life
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for all of us.
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Christoph Keplinger - Roboticist, mechanical engineerChristoph Keplinger aims to fundamentally challenge current limitations of robotic hardware, combining soft matter physics and chemistry with advanced engineering technologies to create a new generation of lifelike robots.
Why you should listen
Robots today rely on rigid components and electric motors that use metal and magnets, making them heavy, unsafe near humans, expensive and ill-suited for unpredictable environments. Nature, in contrast, makes extensive use of soft materials such as muscles and skin and has produced organisms that drastically outperform robots in terms of agility, dexterity and adaptability. Christoph Keplinger aims to fundamentally challenge current limitations of robotic hardware, using an interdisciplinary approach that synergizes concepts from soft matter physics and chemistry with advanced engineering technologies to introduce intelligent materials systems for a new generation of life-like robots.
A major theme of Keplinger's research is the development of new classes of actuators -- a key component of all robotic systems -- that replicate the sweeping success of biological muscle, a masterpiece of evolution. He is the principal inventor of HASEL artificial muscles, a new class of high-performance muscle-mimetic actuators for use in next-generation robots that replicate the vast capabilities of biological systems. In 2018 he cofounded Artimus Robotics to commercialize the technology.
Originally from Austria, Keplinger studied physics at the Johannes Kepler University Linz before moving to the US to research mechanics and chemistry at Harvard. He is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and a fellow of the Materials Science and Engineering Program at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he leads a highly interdisciplinary research group that works on soft robotics, energy harvesting and functional polymers. His work has been published in Science Magazine, among others, and highlighted in popular outlets such as National Geographic. Keplinger he has received prestigious awards including a 2017 Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering.
Christoph Keplinger | Speaker | TED.com