The artificial muscles that will power robots of the future | Christoph Keplinger

Transcriber: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Joanna Pietrulewicz

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Amanda Zhu

In 2015, 25 teams from around the world

2015 年，全世界的二十五個團隊

competed to build robots for disaster response

比賽建造災害應變機器人，

that could perform a number of tasks,

機器人必須要能做幾項工作，

such as using a power tool,

比如，使用電動工具、

working on uneven terrain

在不平坦的地形上工作，

and driving a car.

以及開車。

That all sounds impressive, and it is,

這些聽起來都很讓人欽佩，的確，

but look at the body of the winning robot, HUBO.

但，看看得獎機器人 HUBO 的身體。

Here, HUBO is trying to get out of a car,

這裡，HUBO 在試圖下車，

and keep in mind,

別忘了，

the video is sped up three times.

影片已經是用三倍速播放。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

HUBO, from team KAIST out of Korea, is a state-of-the-art robot

HUBO 是韓國團隊 KAIST 打造的最先進機器人，

with impressive capabilities,

它的能力讓人印象深刻，

but this body doesn't look all that different

但它的身體看起來仍很像

from robots we've seen a few decades ago.

我們幾十年前看到的機器人。

If you look at the other robots in the competition,

如果你們去看看 比賽中的其他機器人，

their movements also still look, well, very robotic.

它們的動作看起來仍然， 嗯，非常像機器人。

Their bodies are complex mechanical structures

它們的身體是複雜的機械結構，

using rigid materials

用的是堅硬的材料，

such as metal and traditional rigid electric motors.

比如金屬及傳統的剛性電動馬達。

They certainly weren't designed

它們的設計理念肯定不是低成本，

to be low-cost, safe near people

不是為了在人類身邊很安全， 或適應不可預測的困難。

and adaptable to unpredictable challenges.

We've made good progress with the brains of robots,

我們對機器人的大腦有很好的進展，

but their bodies are still primitive.

但它們的身體仍然很原始。

This is my daughter Nadia.

這位是我女兒娜迪雅。

She's only five years old

她才五歲，

and she can get out of the car way faster than HUBO.

她下車的速度都比 HUBO 快。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

She can also swing around on monkey bars with ease,

她還可以輕鬆在兒童 攀爬的猴架上盪來盪去，

much better than any current human-like robot could do.

任何人形機器人都沒她做得好。

In contrast to HUBO,

相對於 HUBO，

the human body makes extensive use of soft and deformable materials

人類的身體大量使用 軟性且可變形的材料，

such as muscle and skin.

像是肌肉和皮膚。

We need a new generation of robot bodies

我們需要一種 新世代的機器人身體，

that is inspired by the elegance, efficiency and by the soft materials

採用自然界中優雅、有效率， 以及使用軟性材料的設計。

of the designs found in nature.

And indeed, this has become the key idea of a new field of research

這個想法已經成了一個 新研究領域的核心概念，

called soft robotics.

這領域叫做「軟性機器人學」。

My research group and collaborators around the world

我的研究團隊和全世界的合作夥伴

are using soft components inspired by muscle and skin

採用的軟性元件， 靈感來自肌肉和皮膚，

to build robots with agility and dexterity

用這些元件打造的機器人， 在敏捷度和靈巧度上，

that comes closer and closer

會越來越接近

to the astonishing capabilities of the organisms found in nature.

大自然中的有機體 所擁有的驚人能力。

I've always been particularly inspired by biological muscle.

生物肌肉總是特別讓我有靈感。

Now, that's not surprising.

那並不讓人意外。

I'm also Austrian, and I know that I sound a bit like Arnie, the Terminator.

我也是奧地利人，我知道我的口音 有點像阿諾，魔鬼終結者。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Biological muscle is a true masterpiece of evolution.

生物肌肉是演化中的真正傑作。

It can heal after damage

在受傷之後它會復元，

and it's tightly integrated with sensory neurons

且它和感官神經元密切整合，

for feedback on motion and the environment.

以便得到動作 和環境的回饋資訊。

It can contract fast enough to power the high-speed wings

肌肉可以快速收縮，

讓蜂鳥的翅膀以高速拍打；

of a hummingbird;

it can grow strong enough to move an elephant;

它可以成長到非常強壯， 讓大象能夠移動；

and it's adaptable enough to be used in the extremely versatile arms

它的適應力好到可以被用在

非常多變化的章魚觸手上，

of an octopus,

an animal that can squeeze its entire body through tiny holes.

章魚可以讓它的身體 擠壓穿過小小的洞。

Actuators are for robots what muscles are for animals:

機器人的促動器 就像是動物的肌肉：

key components of the body

是組成身體的關鍵元件，

that enable movement and interaction with the world.

讓身體可以移動， 和世界進行互動。

So if we could build soft actuators,

所以，如果我們能 打造出軟性促動器，

or artificial muscles,

或人造肌肉，

that are as versatile, adaptable

且多變化、適應力強，

and could have the same performance as the real thing,

能和真實的肌肉有同樣的表現，

we could build almost any type of robot

那麼就能打造幾乎 任何種類的機器人 ，

for almost any type of use.

應用在幾乎任何用途上。

Not surprisingly, people have tried for many decades

不意外，數十年來人們都在嘗試

to replicate the astonishing capabilities of muscle,

複製肌肉的驚人能力，

but it's been really hard.

但這非常困難。

About 10 years ago,

大約十年前，

when I did my PhD back in Austria,

當我在奧地利攻讀博士學位時，

my colleagues and I rediscovered

我和我的同事重新發現了

what is likely one of the very first publications on artificial muscle,

一篇人造肌肉的文章， 可能是最早刊出的這類文章，

published in 1880.

出版年是 1880 年。

"On the shape and volume changes of dielectric bodies

「電力如何造成誘電性身體的 形狀和大小改變」，

caused by electricity,"

published by German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen.

作者是德國物理學家威廉倫琴。

Most of you know him as the discoverer of the X-ray.

大部分的人聽過他， 是因為他發現了 X 光。

Following his instructions, we used a pair of needles.

我們遵循他的指示， 用了一對針頭。

We connected it to a high-voltage source,

將針頭連結到高電壓的電源，

and we placed it near a transparent piece of rubber

把它放置在透明橡膠的旁邊，

that was prestretched onto a plastic frame.

它已先被拉伸並固定在塑膠框上。

When we switched on the voltage,

當我們打開電源，

the rubber deformed,

橡膠就變形了，

and just like our biceps flexes our arm,

就像我們手臂上的 二頭肌收縮屈曲，

the rubber flexed the plastic frame.

橡膠會讓塑膠框收縮。

It looks like magic.

很像魔術。針頭甚至 還沒有接觸到橡膠。

The needles don't even touch the rubber.

Now, having two such needles is not a practical way

用兩根這種針頭來操作人造肌肉，

of operating artificial muscles,

並不是很實際的方法，

but this amazing experiment got me hooked on the topic.

但這次很不可思議的實驗， 讓我迷上了這個主題。

I wanted to create new ways to build artificial muscles

我想要創造出新的方法， 來打造人造肌肉，

that would work well for real-world applications.

且能夠應用到真實世界上。

For the next years, I worked on a number of different technologies

接下來的數年間， 我嘗試了數種不同的技術，

that all showed promise,

全都看來有希望，

but they all had remaining challenges that are hard to overcome.

但也都有一些難以克服的困難。

In 2015,

2015 年，

when I started my own lab at CU Boulder,

我在科羅拉多大學波德分校 有了自己的實驗室，

I wanted to try an entirely new idea.

我想要嘗試一個全新的點子。

I wanted to combine the high speed and efficiency

我想要把電力驅動促動器的

of electrically driven actuators

高速度和高效率

with the versatility of soft, fluidic actuators.

和軟性流體促動器的 多功能性結合。

Therefore, I thought,

因此，我心想，

maybe I can try using really old science in a new way.

也許我可以嘗試用新的方法 來使用非常舊的科學。

The diagram you see here

這張圖上所呈現的

shows an effect called Maxwell stress.

是所謂的馬克士威應力張量。

When you take two metal plates

拿兩片金屬板，

and place them in a container filled with oil,

把它們放在一個裝滿油的容器中，

and then switch on a voltage,

接著開啟電壓，

the Maxwell stress forces the oil up in between the two plates,

馬克士威應力張量就會迫使油 向上跑到兩片板子中間，

and that's what you see here.

像圖上這樣子。

So the key idea was,

關鍵的想法是，

can we use this effect to push around oil

我們能否在軟性、 可伸縮的結構中，

contained in soft stretchy structures?

利用這種效應來推動油？

And indeed, this worked surprisingly well,

的確可以，結果非常成功，

quite honestly, much better than I expected.

老實說，比我預期的還要好很多。

Together with my outstanding team of students,

我和我一群出色的學生

we used this idea as a starting point

用這個想法當作起始點，

to develop a new technology called HASEL artificial muscles.

來開發一種新技術， 叫做 HASEL 人造肌肉。

HASELs are gentle enough to pick up a raspberry

HASEL 很溫柔， 可以完好地拿起覆盆子，

without damaging it.

不會損傷它。

They can expand and contract like real muscle.

它們可以像真實肌肉 一樣延展和收縮。

And they can be operated faster than the real thing.

且它們動作的速度 會比真實肌肉快。

They can also be scaled up to deliver large forces.

也可以把它們再強化， 來發出很大的力量。

Here you see them lifting a gallon filled with water.

在這裡可以看見 它們舉起一加侖的水。

They can be used to drive a robotic arm,

它們可以用來驅動機械手臂，

and they can even self-sense their position.

它們甚至可以感覺到自己的位置。

HASELs can be used for very precise movement,

HASEL 可以用來 做非常精準的動作，

but they can also deliver very fluidic, muscle-like movement

但它們也能做出非常流暢、 類似肌肉的動作，

and bursts of power to shoot up a ball into the air.

還能爆發出力量，將球丟向空中。

When submerged in oil,

浸入油裡面之後，

HASEL artificial muscles can be made invisible.

就看不見 HASEL 人造肌肉了。

So how do HASEL artificial muscles work?

所以，HASEL 人造肌肉怎麼運作？

You might be surprised.

你們可能會很驚訝。

They're based on very inexpensive, easily available materials.

它們所使用的材料 一點也不貴，且很容易取得。

You can even try, and I recommend it,

我建議你們可以在家 試試主要的原理。

the main principle at home.

Take a few Ziploc bags and fill them with olive oil.

拿幾個密封塑膠袋，裝滿橄欖油。

Try to push out air bubbles as much as you can.

盡可能把氣泡擠出去。

Now take a glass plate and place it on one side of the bag.

拿一個玻璃盤子， 放在袋子的一側。

When you press down, you see the bag contract.

向下壓時，你會看到袋子收縮。

Now the amount of contraction is easy to control.

收縮的大小很容易控制。

When you take a small weight, you get a small contraction.

用輕的重量去壓， 就會產生些微的收縮。

With a medium weight, we get a medium contraction.

用中等的重量去壓， 就會產生中等的收縮。

And with a large weight, you get a large contraction.

用重的重量去壓， 就會產生極大的收縮。

Now for HASELs, the only change is to replace the force of your hand

HASEL 唯一的差別 就是用電力來取代

or the weight with an electrical force.

手的力量或是重量。

HASEL stands for "hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic actuators."

HASEL 是「透過水壓來擴大的 自我治癒靜電促動器」的縮寫。

Here you see a geometry called Peano-HASEL actuators,

各位看到的這個幾何形狀叫做 皮亞諾－HASEL 促動器，

one of many possible designs.

是許多可能的設計之一。

Again, you take a flexible polymer such as our Ziploc bag,

同樣的，可以用柔韌的聚合物， 比如密封塑膠袋，

you fill it with an insulating liquid, such as olive oil,

裝滿絕緣的液體，比如橄欖油，

and now, instead of the glass plate,

這次，不用玻璃盤，

you place an electrical conductor on one side of the pouch.

改用電導體，放在袋子的一側。

To create something that looks more like a muscle fiber,

創造出看起來像是 肌肉纖維的東西，

you can connect a few pouches together

可以把幾個袋子連接在一起，

and attached a weight on one side.

在一端加上重量。

Next, we apply voltage.

接著，加上電壓。

Now, the electric field starts acting on the liquid.

電場現在開始影響到液體。

It displaces the liquid,

它會移開液體，

and it forces the muscle to contract.

並會強迫肌肉收縮。

Here you see a completed Peano-HASEL actuator

各位在這裡看到的是完成的 皮亞諾－HASEL 促動器，

and how it expands and contracts when voltage is applied.

以及在加上電壓之後 它會如何延展和收縮。

Viewed from the side,

從側面看，

you can really see those pouches take a more cylindrical shape,

可以看到這些袋子的形狀 變成比較像是圓柱狀，

such as we saw with the Ziploc bags.

像剛才看到的密封塑膠袋一樣。

We can also place a few such muscle fibers next to each other

我們也可以把幾條 肌肉纖維排在一起，

to create something that looks even more like a muscle

創造出更像肌肉的東西，

that also contracts and expands in cross section.

能夠在橫斷面上收縮和延展。

These HASELs here are lifting a weight that's about 200 times heavier

這些 HASEL 所舉起的重量，

比它們自身的重量還要重兩百倍。

than their own weight.

Here you see one of our newest designs, called quadrant donut HASELs

這是我們的最新設計之一， 叫做四分之一甜甜圈 HASEL，

and how they expand and contract.

它們在延展和收縮。

They can be operated incredibly fast, reaching superhuman speeds.

它們可以動得非常快速， 達到超人的速度。

They are even powerful enough to jump off the ground.

它們甚至強到可以跳離地面。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Overall, HASELs show promise to become the first technology

總的來說，HASEL 的前景看好， 很可能成為第一種能夠

that matches or exceeds the performance of biological muscle

匹敵或超越生物肌肉表現的技術，

while being compatible with large-scale manufacturing.

且它還可以大規模生產。

This is also a very young technology. We are just getting started.

這種技術還很新，我們才剛起步。

We have many ideas how to drastically improve performance,

我們有很多如何 大幅改善性能的點子，

using new materials and new designs to reach a level of performance

包括用新材料以及新設計， 來達到更高的性能，

beyond biological muscle and also beyond traditional rigid electric motors.

超越生物肌肉，也超越 傳統的剛性電動馬達。

Moving towards more complex designs of HASEL for bio-inspired robotics,

接著是更複雜的設計，靈感來自 生物的機器人學所用的 HASEL，

here you see our artificial scorpion

這個是我們的人造蝎子，

that can use its tail to hunt prey,

能用尾巴來捕食獵物，

in this case, a rubber balloon.

這裡的獵物是橡皮氣球。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Going back to our initial inspiration,

回到我們初始的靈感，

the versatility of octopus arms and elephant trunks,

章魚手臂的變化性 以及大象的鼻子，

we are now able to build soft continuum actuators

現在，我們能夠打造出 軟性連續促動器，

that come closer and closer to the capabilities of the real thing.

越來越接近真實肌肉的能力。

I am most excited about the practical applications

最讓我感到興奮的是

HASEL 人造肌肉的實際應用。

of HASEL artificial muscles.

They'll enable soft robotic devices

有了它，就可以做出

能夠改善生活品質的 軟性機器人裝置。

that can improve the quality of life.

Soft robotics will enable a new generation of more lifelike prosthetics

軟性機器人學讓更逼真的 新世代義肢成為可能，

for people who have lost parts of their bodies.

能用來協助失去某些身體部位的人。

Here you see some HASELs in my lab,

這是我實驗室中的 HASEL，

early testing, driving a prosthetic finger.

早期的測試，驅動的是義肢手指。

One day, we may even merge our bodies with robotic parts.

將來，我們甚至可以 將我們的身體和機器部位結合。

I know that sounds very scary at first.

我知道一開始聽起來是挺可怕的。

But when I think about my grandparents

但，當我想到我的祖父母，

and the way they become more dependent on others

想到他們變得越來越依賴其他人，

to perform simple everyday tasks such as using the restroom alone,

即使簡單的日常小事也要別人幫忙， 比如他們無法獨自上廁所，

they often feel like they're becoming a burden.

他們總覺得自己成為別人的負擔。

With soft robotics, we will be able to enhance and restore

有了軟性機器人學，

我們將可以強化和恢復 敏捷度和靈巧度，

agility and dexterity,

and thereby help older people maintain autonomy

這麼一來，就可以協助老人

for longer parts of their lives.

在人生中保有更長時間的自主能力。

Maybe we can call that "robotics for antiaging"

也許我們可以稱之為 「抗老化機器人學」，

or even a next stage of human evolution.

或甚至人類演化的下一階段。

Unlike their traditional rigid counterparts,

和傳統僵硬的機器人不同，

soft life-like robots will safely operate near people and help us at home.

軟性逼真的機器人能夠 在人類周圍安全地運作，

並在家中協助人類。

Soft robotics is a very young field. We're just getting started.

軟性機器人學還是個很新的領域。

我們才剛起步。

I hope that many young people from many different backgrounds

我希望許多不同背景的年輕人 能加入這趟讓人興奮的旅程，

join us on this exciting journey

and help shape the future of robotics

利用來自大自然的靈感，

by introducing new concepts inspired by nature.

帶入新觀念，協助塑造 機器人學的未來。

If we do this right,

如果我們能把這件事做對，

we can improve the quality of life

就能改善生活的品質，造福眾人。

for all of us.

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）