scientists recycle food waste into robotic claw machines that can grip objects

"Scientists at EPFL have recycled food waste like shells from langoustines into functional, robotic claw machines that can hold onto objects. In a study by CREATE Lab, the team has tested whether crustacean shells could work better for some robotic tasks instead of the usual metal, plastic, or other synthetic materials. The scientists say that crustacean shells can function well because they are hard and rigid in some places, which gives them strength,"

"They put an elastic material inside the shell to control how each segment moves. Then they attached the shell to a motorized base, which is a machine that can move and change how stiff or loose the shell becomes. Finally, they covered everything with a silicon coating to make it last longer. This process combines three things: the natural shell for structure, elastic materials for movement control, and the motorized base for power and precision."

Crustacean shells combine rigid and flexible regions, providing strength where needed and flexibility where bending is required. Langoustine tail shells were modified with elastic inserts, mounted on motorized bases, and coated in silicon for durability. Elastic inserts control segment movement while motorized bases provide adjustable stiffness, power, and precision. The natural shell supplies structure while synthetic elements supply motion control and actuation. After use, shells and most synthetic parts can be disassembled and repurposed. Demonstrated devices include a manipulator lifting up to 500 grams, adaptive grippers handling objects from a highlighter to a tomato, and a swimming robot reaching 11 cm/s.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine