Locomotion of amorphous surface robots

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9902446
SERIAL NO

14986797

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ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)

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Abstract

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An amorphous robot includes a compartmented bladder containing fluid, a valve assembly, and an outer layer encapsulating the bladder and valve assembly. The valve assembly draws fluid from a compartment(s) and discharges the drawn fluid into a designated compartment to displace the designated compartment with respect to the surface. Another embodiment includes elements each having a variable property, an outer layer that encapsulates the elements, and a control unit. The control unit energizes a designated element to change its variable property, thereby moving the designated element. The elements may be electromagnetic spheres with a variable polarity or shape memory polymers with changing shape and/or size. Yet another embodiment includes an elongated flexible tube filled with ferrofluid, a moveable electromagnet, an actuator, and a control unit. The control unit energizes the electromagnet and moves the electromagnet via the actuator to magnetize the ferrofluid and lengthen the flexible tube.

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Patent Owner(s)

  • UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

International Classification(s)

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Bradley, Arthur T Yorktown, US 5 29

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