The 'morphing' wheel from South Korea that may transform lives and robots

14/11/2024 12:35

        Imagine a wheelchair equipped with wheels flexible enough to navigate all manner of obstacles from kerbs to humps and even staircases.
        
        Or perhaps an unmanned delivery vehicle using the same wheels that takes the stairs to deliver food and groceries right to your doorstop.
        
        This is what researchers from the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) envision for their 'morphing' wheel, which can roll over obstacles up to 1.3 times the height of its radius.
        
        Inspired by the surface tension of water droplets, it goes from solid to fluid when it encounters impediments.
        
        Other possible applications include robots that spy on the enemy in the battlefield.
        
        The KIMM team also hopes that morphing wheels will eventually be used with two and four-legged robots, which are currently limited in movement efficiency and susceptible to vibration, that can carry payloads that need stable movement in industrial settings.