IEEE Spectrum uploaded a video that depicted their work on ‘Popcorn Driven Robotic Actuators,’ by six authors from Cornell University, according to Tech Xplore.
Scientists are ‘popping’ the question on how popcorn can be used in robotic applications such as a jamming actuator filled with kernels or a scenario involved with an origami actuator.
Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum’s article author, said the researchers used “recycled Newman’s Own Organic Popcorn bags to make their origami actuators, and 80 grams of popped kernels were able to hold up a 4 kg kettlebell.”
The researchers have explored popcorn’s applications in different categories such as expansion ratio, compression strength, transition temperature, popping force and intra-granular friction.
“In the near future, we aim to design the infrastructure necessary for stand-alone popcorn-driven robots. This will require an embedded system capable of heating the kernels, and a pump capable of moving the kernels,” said the team of researchers. “Long term, the work on multi-functional granular fluids presented in this paper may help pave the way for a wide range of applications spanning the fields of rigid, compliant, and soft robots.”
One thought the researchers had was creating a small robot capable of holding a packed chamber of kernels. The robot could rapidly/locally heat a kernel and push it out of the robot, which would fill an open region with popped kernels and propel the robot forward.
Ceron and team were also interested “to perfect other biodegradable options for actuators that could provide eco-friendly and low-cost solutions to these robotics parts.”