Soft robots innovate
The research team claims that the fundamental idea behind the created hyperelastic torque reversal mechanism is to take advantage of the properties of soft hyperelastic materials, which stiffen quickly upon compression.
They discovered that a flexible joint reaches a critical point when the stored energy is instantly released when compression is exerted on one side of the joint. They clarified that similar to cilia in nature, repetitive and strong bending motions could be achieved even with a basic construction that joins a tendon and motor to a flexible joint.