Swiss scientists have created what they describe as the world’s first 100% edible robot, a soft device made entirely from biodegradable materials that can be chewed and swallowed, including its power source and actuators. The research was carried out by the Intelligent Systems Laboratory at EPFL University as part of the EU-funded RoboFood project.
The robot moves using a pump-based system similar to conventional soft robotics but relies on materials such as wax and gelatine instead of plastics and metals. Even the tubing that directs pressure through the robot’s body is made from gelatine. According to the developers, the edible construction enables new deployment scenarios that would not be possible with traditional materials.
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To generate motion, the device uses two separate chambers—one filled with baking soda and the other with liquid citric acid. When sufficient pressure is applied, a membrane breaks, causing the substances to mix and triggering an acid-base reaction that produces carbon dioxide. The CO₂ acts as a propellant to move the robot, with sodium citrate, a food-safe byproduct, generated in the process. “If you look at it from the broader perspective of environmental and sustainable robotics, the pneumatic battery and valve system is a key enabling technology,” project manager Dario Floreano said, adding that it is “compatible with all sorts of biodegradable pneumatic robots.”
The researchers say the edible robot could be used to administer medication or vaccines to wildlife. Cheap, biodegradable and resembling prey animals in texture and mobility, such devices could allow treatment of species such as wild boars without close human contact.
Human testing is also under way. At the beginning of the year, flavored actuators—including versions designed to taste like grenadine—were distributed to test participants, and feedback is currently being evaluated. Edibility, sustainability and safe breakdown of components are among the key areas being studied.
The team says edible robotics could become an important field within environmental and medical research. While commercial deployment has not been discussed, the materials and chemical systems demonstrated in the prototype may influence the design of future biodegradable robotic devices.
Source: Advanced Science