Project description
New soft robotics systems that feel the pain – and react by healing automatically
Living organisms are capable of healing when injured. Damaged robots must be replaced or repaired which is not ecologically or economically viable. The European Green Deal is an important step in the right direction, and so is the Right to Repair. The EU-funded SHERO project is making technological breakthroughs in self-healing soft robots, innovating the entire value chain. The materials involved go beyond coatings to structural 3D components with different material properties. A range of production technologies, including 3D printing, are producing multi-material components. Embedded healable sensors give the ability to feel and sense damage. The project showed that robotic grippers with intelligent control that were severely damaged could heal and regain their original performances.
Objective
"While artificial intelligence, robotics and computing power advance at a stunning pace, the physical interactions between such systems remain as an unsolved question. Replacement aftermarket parts for robotics account for $400 billion a year. This figure, comparable to the entire GDP of Belgium, could be reduced if smart materials were combined with robotics and AI to heal robotic parts or prevent damage. The natural healing function has inspired chemists to impart similar properties to synthetic materials, creating “self-healing materials"". These materials have the ability to recover their key-properties after damage through a self-healing (SH) mechanism. A broad range of SH materials has been developed, based on a variety of chemical and physical principles, and has led to innovative applications. While Europe was well positioned in the discovery of new SH materials, this project aims to take a leading position in an emerging area of application of these materials. In robotics and machines in general, SH materials and healing abilities have not yet been explored. This project will realize the scientifically ambitious and technologically concrete breakthroughs to exploit the combination of self-healing materials with (damage) sensing capabilities, intelligence and automated healing in soft robotics. This implies the design of anthropomorphic materials, capable of feeling pain. By intelligent control the inflicted damage will prompt the whole system to rest and heal before (more) serious damage occurs, restoring not only structural integrity by reattaching broken parts, but also restoring complex functions like sensing and actuation. To achieve this, dedicated SH materials will be synthesized and characterised, SH actuators and sensors will be created, and dedicated control intelligence for structural health monitoring and autonomous SH procedures will be investigated. All these technologies will be integrated in two demonstrators to disseminate the objectives."
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence
- engineering and technology civil engineering structural engineering structural health monitoring
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering robotics soft robotics
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
H2020-EU.1.2. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.2.1. - FET Open
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
RIA - Research and Innovation action
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2020
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1050 Bruxelles / Brussel
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.