A robot may function like a human, but it won't die like one. Italian scientists, however, are developing "smart materials" that will pave the way for robots to decompose like the human body once they reach the end of their life span.

Researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) will combine different materials at the nano-level to develop innovative products. Such products are said to maintain the features of each components but have properties that would not be possible individually.

"We are infusing any material with nano technology," said Smart Materials group leader Athanassia Athanassiou.

The materials may range from paper to synthetic foams like various cotton forms. The researchers plan to give these materials new features to have a wider range of applications.

Athanassiou and colleagues think this project could have a vital application to robotics. As the biodegradable/natural materials are soft and flexible, it can be used as robotic skins. They can amp it up further by installing tactile sensors from biodegradable materials.

Some of the materials may also be hard and thus may be incorporated in robots' internal parts.

The industry of robotics is changing. Soon, using pure metals to create robots may not be a wise strategy anymore. For Nikos Tsagarakis who leads another humanoid robot project at IIT, roboticists will have to move on from metals to develop the robots of the next generation.

At the center of the issue is the roboticists' ability to obtain the properties they want to incorporate in their creations, says Tsagarakis. Being able to have the option of using alternative materials would be of utmost advantage. Such strategy may pave the way for experts to develop robots that are lightweight, more efficient and recyclable.

Present-day robots are generally approved in today's society, but creating robots made from biodegradable materials will make them more human-like and hasten society's acceptance for them.

Athanassiou thinks it is a good idea to start incorporating biodegradable material in the robot's exterior first. However, she believes that in the coming years, all parts of the robots could eventually become wholly decomposable.

Photo: Jean-Etienne Minh-Duy Poi | Flickr

TAG Robotics, Robots, Biodegradable

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