ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA Center for Micro Robotics Genova

The Plantoid

A new generation of soft robots inspired plants

For the first time worldwide, a research team of CMBR has investigated the principles that enable plant roots to efficiently adapt to underground environments, and transferred this knowledge to the creating process of innovative robotic artefacts, named Plantoid. The Plantoid is composed of a trunk, five functional roots that originate from the trunk with sensorized apexes and an aerial part with branches including polymeric artificial leaves (based on controllable hygromorphic plant-inspired material moving in response to humidity). Each robotic tip integrates commercial gravity and temperature sensors, and purposively developed pH and potassium sensors, and tactile and humidity sensors. All the robotic roots are able to bend following or escaping from environmental stimuli, as the natural counterpart. Moreover, two artificial roots are able to grow and penetrate in the soil by means of addition of material at the apical level.