FiloBot: Self-Growing Robot Mimics Climbing Plant Behaviours, Responds to Light and Gravity
- tech360.tv
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) have developed FiloBot, a vine-like robot that autonomously copies climbing plant behaviours by growing through 3D printing. The robot responds to both gravity and light, marking a significant step in biomimicry.
The study, published in *Science Robotics*, is the culmination of a 10-year project led by Professor Barbara Mazzolai’s group. Professor Mazzolai explained that climbing plants leverage supports to compete for resources in challenging environments, a strategy FiloBot now exploits.
FiloBot has the potential to navigate unstructured environments and cross voids, abilities difficult for robots with wheels or legs. These growing robots could support search and rescue operations or perform environmental monitoring and remediation.
The robot’s head is equipped with light and gravity sensors. A tiny 3D printer at its base extrudes a thermoplastic filament, forming the robot’s 4 cm diameter circular stem-like body.
This stem is anchored to a station supplying power, a filament spooler, and fans. FiloBot can bend by adjusting the filament plotting speed, depositing more material on one side than the other.
FiloBot autonomously chooses a bending angle based on gravity and light, then adjusts its parameters to achieve that angle. This allows it to mimic how plants seek out supports.
Ecologists hypothesise that climbing plants are attracted to shade, known as skototropism, when searching for support. FiloBot replicated this by matching temperature, plotting, and extrusion speed to specific wavelengths.
The robot was observed growing over a plant leaf in the shadow of an overhanging one, effectively twining towards a trunk. This twining was achieved by continuously measuring the angle between the robot’s growth direction and gravity, adjusting parameters accordingly.
Climbing plants regulate their stem strength based on their configuration, growing thicker when crossing voids and lighter when twined to a support. FiloBot achieved a lighter structure by increasing feeding speed or decreasing extrusion temperature.
Emanuela Del Dottore, an IIT researcher and the paper’s first author, stated this approach saves energy and accelerates growth. She noted it also prolongs the system’s lifespan and extends its capabilities.
Currently, FiloBot cannot autonomously switch between different behaviours by weighing the impacts of gravity and light on its growth. Del Dottore indicated that achieving complete autonomy is the group’s next significant challenge.
Mazzolai added that artificial plants capable of intertwining could pave the way for new applications, such as self-growing infrastructures. Ian Walker, a roboticist at the University of Clemson, described IIT’s work as unique and inspirational.
Walker noted this work represents an important step towards applications in outdoor environments, which he described as the overall goal of the field.
FiloBot, developed by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), is a self-growing robot that mimics climbing plants.
It grows by 3D printing and responds autonomously to gravity and light, mimicking plant behaviours like seeking shade and twining around supports.
The robot can adjust its stem strength, achieving lighter structures for energy saving and accelerated growth.
Source: NATURE ITALY