A robot for navigating an environment through growth is provided. The growing robot has a thin-walled, hollow, pressurized, compliant body that elongates the body by everting from its tip new wall material that is stored inside the body. The robot controls the shape of the body by actively controlling the relative lengths of the wall material along opposing sides of the body allowing steering.

A robot for navigating an environment through growth is provided. The growing robot has a thin-walled, hollow, pressurized, compliant body that elongates the body by everting from its tip new wall material that is stored inside the body. The robot controls the shape of the body by actively controlling the relative lengths of the wall material along opposing sides of the body allowing steering.

An assembly for generating energy from waves, comprising a concentric ring flywheel operatively arranged to generate electrical current, the concentric ring flywheel comprising a first shaft including an input end and an output end, a plurality of rings, the plurality of rings including at least a first ring, including a first radially inward facing surface arranged to connect with the output end of the first shaft, and a first radially outward facing surface, a second ring arranged concentrically around the first ring, the second ring including a second radially inward facing surface and a second radially outward facing surface, one or more first clutch connectors arranged in a first space radially arranged between the first and second rings to non-rotatably connect the second ring and the first ring, and a wave energy capture device operatively arranged to rotate the first shaft.

An assembly for generating energy from waves, comprising a concentric ring flywheel operatively arranged to generate electrical current, the concentric ring flywheel comprising a first shaft including an input end and an output end, a plurality of rings, the plurality of rings including at least a first ring, including a first radially inward facing surface arranged to connect with the output end of the first shaft, and a first radially outward facing surface, a second ring arranged concentrically around the first ring, the second ring including a second radially inward facing surface and a second radially outward facing surface, one or more first clutch connectors arranged in a first space radially arranged between the first and second rings to non-rotatably connect the second ring and the first ring, and a wave energy capture device operatively arranged to rotate the first shaft.

A soft vine robot includes a main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material of the main body everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body. A reeling mechanism is controlled by a reeling motor, the reeling mechanism being within the tube and being configured to actively feed the inverted material to provide or assist eversion and to actively retract extended material of the main body back. Control and communications electronics control the reeling motor. T reeling mechanism can include a steering mechanism with a bending axis controlled by a steering motor. By actively supplying eversion or inversion forces in the robot body, the soft vine robot can grow with reduced pressure compared to base reeled robots.

A soft vine robot includes a main body configured as a tube inverted back inside itself to define a pressure channel, such that when the channel is pressurized, the main body everts, and inverted material of the main body everts and passes out of a tip at a distal end of the main body. A reeling mechanism is controlled by a reeling motor, the reeling mechanism being within the tube and being configured to actively feed the inverted material to provide or assist eversion and to actively retract extended material of the main body back. Control and communications electronics control the reeling motor. T reeling mechanism can include a steering mechanism with a bending axis controlled by a steering motor. By actively supplying eversion or inversion forces in the robot body, the soft vine robot can grow with reduced pressure compared to base reeled robots.

Systems and methods for providing torque to an assistive device are disclosed. In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises a material arranged to define a volume of space. The material may comprise a flexible portion and having a first surface and a second surface. The material may have a first position, in which the material is bent along the flexible portion and the first surface contacts the second surface. When the material is in the first position, an increase in pressure to the space creates a force between the first surface and the second surface. The material transitions from the first position to a second position in response to the force between the first surface and the second surface. The apparatus may be attached to an assistive device or other machine, such as an orthosis or prosthesis, in order to provide a torque.

A robot for navigating an environment through growth is provided. The growing robot has a thin-walled, hollow, pressurized, compliant body that elongates the body by everting from its tip new wall material that is stored inside the body. The robot controls the shape of the body by actively controlling the relative lengths of the wall material along opposing sides of the body allowing steering.

One aspect of the invention provides an articulating device including: an inflatable elastic layer and a textile shell surrounding or impregnated within at least a portion of the inflatable elastic layer. The textile shell includes at least two regions having different material properties or knit patterns. The textile shell selectively constrains expansion of the inflatable elastic layer to produce controlled bending or torsion. Another aspect of the invention provides an articulating device including: an inflatable elastic layer and a textile shell surrounding or impregnated within at least a portion of the inflatable elastic layer. The textile shell has a curved profile and selectively constrains expansion of the inflatable elastic layer to produce controlled bending.

One aspect of the invention provides an articulating device including: an inflatable elastic layer and a textile shell surrounding or impregnated within at least a portion of the inflatable elastic layer. The textile shell includes at least two regions having different material properties or knit patterns. The textile shell selectively constrains expansion of the inflatable elastic layer to produce controlled bending or torsion. Another aspect of the invention provides an articulating device including: an inflatable elastic layer and a textile shell surrounding or impregnated within at least a portion of the inflatable elastic layer. The textile shell has a curved profile and selectively constrains expansion of the inflatable elastic layer to produce controlled bending.