Feasibility of a standardised, optimised Soft Robotics CPU as the core Industry 4.0 architecture to advance the rapidly growing soft robotics industry
Lead Participant:
BIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
Abstract
Our motivation is to integrate Industry 4.0 technologies to solve enormous challenges faced by humanity (feeding 9.8 billion people by 2050, improving health/quality of life, addressing climate change) contributing to a $5bn market opportunity in an industrially resilient, environmentally sustainable, economically accessible way.
This programme addresses grand challenge 1 "Artificial intelligence and data" and aligns to 2 "Ageing society".
In the same way the integrated circuit revolutionised information processing, new highly-integrated architectures have the potential to revolutionise major industries including soft robotics.
BiologIC Technologies (UK SME) will lead the programme. This pioneering project deploys BiologIC's industry 4.0 UK technologies in highly-integrated 3D-printed systems, establishing critical UK capability in this growth industry.
The project will undertake a feasibility study into a soft robotics CPU ("srCPU") that will provide the core cyber-physical architecture central to new soft robotic development. The srCPU will use multi-material 3D-printing and flexi-electronics to integrate hardware components together with embedded software as a central operating system to control the information processing and actuation of soft robots. The srCPU will be able to interconnect to 3D-printed, integrated soft robot prototypes either as standalone systems or to interface with hard robots and remote devices such as Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles.
The project will significantly advance the total technology readiness level of the whole soft robotics market segment. New generations of soft robots will operate in dynamic-task/unstructured environments in increasing collaboration with humans. Advantages of soft robots are easy-fabrication/low-cost/lightweight/high-flexibility/safety. However, there are critical operational needs to advance core central processing architectures that reduce the significant control infrastructure burden (pumps/valves/electronics/optics), improve remote operability, broaden application areas and accelerate customer speed-to-market.
The objective is to demonstrate feasibility of a prototype standardised srCPU from BiologIC capable of being interconnected to a number of soft robots (soft end-effectors e.g. grippers/hands/arms/worms) to show portability of the open-innovation platform.
Inspired by integrated circuits, BiologIC's full-stack "digital hardware" srCPU architectures are software-configurable with horizontal applications across many markets, increasing industrial resilience in warehousing/logistics (handling complex inventory), healthcare (surgical devices/infectious material), nuclear decomissioning and agriculture.
Soft robotics can grow globally from c$645m (2019) to c$5bn (2025) at CAGR\>40% \[Research and Markets\] provided central processing constraints are addressed. We estimate the srCPU can address up to 20% of this market through this game-changing, user-focused programme.
This programme addresses grand challenge 1 "Artificial intelligence and data" and aligns to 2 "Ageing society".
In the same way the integrated circuit revolutionised information processing, new highly-integrated architectures have the potential to revolutionise major industries including soft robotics.
BiologIC Technologies (UK SME) will lead the programme. This pioneering project deploys BiologIC's industry 4.0 UK technologies in highly-integrated 3D-printed systems, establishing critical UK capability in this growth industry.
The project will undertake a feasibility study into a soft robotics CPU ("srCPU") that will provide the core cyber-physical architecture central to new soft robotic development. The srCPU will use multi-material 3D-printing and flexi-electronics to integrate hardware components together with embedded software as a central operating system to control the information processing and actuation of soft robots. The srCPU will be able to interconnect to 3D-printed, integrated soft robot prototypes either as standalone systems or to interface with hard robots and remote devices such as Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles.
The project will significantly advance the total technology readiness level of the whole soft robotics market segment. New generations of soft robots will operate in dynamic-task/unstructured environments in increasing collaboration with humans. Advantages of soft robots are easy-fabrication/low-cost/lightweight/high-flexibility/safety. However, there are critical operational needs to advance core central processing architectures that reduce the significant control infrastructure burden (pumps/valves/electronics/optics), improve remote operability, broaden application areas and accelerate customer speed-to-market.
The objective is to demonstrate feasibility of a prototype standardised srCPU from BiologIC capable of being interconnected to a number of soft robots (soft end-effectors e.g. grippers/hands/arms/worms) to show portability of the open-innovation platform.
Inspired by integrated circuits, BiologIC's full-stack "digital hardware" srCPU architectures are software-configurable with horizontal applications across many markets, increasing industrial resilience in warehousing/logistics (handling complex inventory), healthcare (surgical devices/infectious material), nuclear decomissioning and agriculture.
Soft robotics can grow globally from c$645m (2019) to c$5bn (2025) at CAGR\>40% \[Research and Markets\] provided central processing constraints are addressed. We estimate the srCPU can address up to 20% of this market through this game-changing, user-focused programme.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| BIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED | £50,000 | £ 35,000 |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Richard Vellacott (Project Manager) |