Rescue workers have been faced with many challenges when it comes to rescuing people who have been draped under collapsed buildings. In this regard, such workers often find it difficult to locate and reach people who have been draped under collapsed buildings. Additionally, the Traditional Rescue Robots cannot traverse some spaces in the quest to rescue survivors. However, these challenges presented to the rescue workers and traditional rescue robots have been solved by the use of the OctaWorm. This is deformable, small robot that is capable of negotiating and exploring all kinds of spaces. This robot can traverse all kinds of spaces that have been challenging most of the traditional rescue robots. The OctaWorm was developed through the project by the University of Akron and the University of Chile. Juan Cristóbal Zagal is a person who is credited for designing the OctaWorm itself. The joinery parts of the robot that facilitates the connection of the electric linear actuators were developed by the use of 3D printing. Additionally, the 3D printing was also used in producing ball joints of the robot.

The Working Mechanism of the 3D Printed OctaWorm

The 3D printed OctaWorm’s ball joints were created by the use of Stratasys Objet 3D printer while the rest of the printed 3D printed parts were developed by the use of the FDM 3D printer. The robot consists or rubbery balls located at the end of its legs. Such rubbery balls which provide it with the ability to traverse through and grip onto various materials and terrains. This is achieved by OctaWorm’s 3D printed ball joints which facilitate and controls the deformation motion, making it possible for the robot to assume various configurations and shapes. The robot’s basic structure consists of 3D printed parts with aluminum rods that make its legs durable.

The OctaWorm is a small robot that is capable of squeezing it into cracks, crevices and gaps of piles debris that have been formed due to structural damage. This is achieved through changing its real size in order to fit the situation required. It can expand when necessary and also constrict when entering into small cracks, crevices, and gaps. It is worth noting that the main aim of developing the OctaWorm was the need to navigate and access confined spaces ire voids and cracks within disaster environments, air ducts, and pipes. In addition to traversing inside pipes with small diameters, the OctaWorm can also able to deal with the changes within the pipe’s internal diameter. This means that the robot can change its shape and size in accordance to the pipe’s internal diameter.

The robot’s functional symmetry facilitates it to negotiate as well as travel along Y, T and L joints within pipelines. This has been hitherto a problem for the traditional rescue robots as well as rescue workers. Particularly, the conventional in-pipe robots were incapable of traversing through such kinds of junctions. On the contrary, the deformable OctaWorm robot could simply squeeze into a variety of junctions. There are three prototypes of the OctaWorm. The deformable robot’s third prototype has been undergoing various modifications since it was designed by Juan Cristóbal Zagal.

The initial two models of the robot used syringes in order to move its joints accordingly and it was run by small hydraulics whereas the second prototype’s joints were run utilized electronic actuators. Further, the joints of the modern version of the robot use pneumatic-driven servo motors that are more reliable than electronic actuators. Despite the fact that the robot is currently operated by a wired controller, there is a possibility that future prototypes will be operated wirelessly.