3D Printing
News Videos Newsletter Contact us
Home / News / Researchers 3D Print Air-Powered Logic Gates for Soft Robotics
revopoint

Researchers 3D Print Air-Powered Logic Gates for Soft Robotics

February 5, 2024

Researchers from the University of Freiburg have unveiled a design for 3D printed pneumatic logic gates. Capable of performing Boolean operations, these modules replace electronics, offering a robust alternative for soft-body robots.

The team, led by researcher Stefan Conrad, introduces a design allowing enthusiasts with basic 3D printing skills to create logic modules for controlling soft robots. The modules, easily produced with off-the-shelf 3D printers using standard filaments, feature two pressurized chambers separated by a compressible channel, forming a binary valve. These simple components enable the creation of AND, OR, and NOT gates without the need for electronics.

Researchers 3D Print Air-Powered Logic Gates for Soft Robotics
Pneumatic logic gate: alternating NO and NC valves control signal. (Image Credit: University of Freiburg)

Falk Tauber, PhD, co-lead of the project, highlighted the versatility of these modules, showcasing their application in a 3D printed robotic walker and an electronics-free drinks dispenser. The robotic walker, controlled by an integrated pneumatic circuit, demonstrated the modules’ flexibility by withstanding the weight of a car driving over it.

The drinks dispenser, a more complex system, incorporates a pneumatic ring oscillator and one-bit memory, utilizing eight pneumatic logic gates. This setup enables the periodic switching of eight independent output signals, showcasing the modules’ adaptability in constructing intricate control systems.

The system operates by sending a LOW signal to the latch’s SET input upon button press, activating a peristaltic pump through an oscillating signal passing the OR gate. The rising water level triggers a weight sensor, causing the latch to receive a LOW signal on its RESET input, deactivating the ring oscillator.

The 3D printed pneumatic logic gates represent a shift in soft robotics, eliminating the need for conventional electronics. This project opens up new possibilities for creating robust and versatile soft robots, marking a crucial step towards a future of electronics-free pneumatic control circuits.

You can read the research paper, titled “3D-printed digital pneumatic logic for the control of soft robotic actuators” in the Science Robotics journal, at this link.

Come and let us know your thoughts on our Facebook, X, and LinkedIn pages, and don’t forget to sign up for our weekly additive manufacturing newsletter to get all the latest stories delivered right to your inbox.

Share:
WhatsApp Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Buffer Reddit E-mail
About the author | Phillip Keane
Phillip is an aerospace engineer from UK. He is a graduate of Coventry University (UK), International Space University (France) and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), where he studied Advanced Manufacturing at the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing.
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Latest posts

United Utilities Expands 3D Printing for Water Infrastructure Operations

United Utilities is incorporating 3D printing technology into its operations following the completion of a two-year Water Industry Printfrastructure project. The initiative, funded... read more »

News
United Utilities Expands 3D Printing for Water Infrastructure Operations

New Frontier Aerospace Successfully Tests 3D-Printed Rocket Engine

New Frontier Aerospace has completed a series of hot-fire tests of its 3D-printed Mjölnir rocket engine, the company announced from its Kent, Washington... read more »

Aerospace
New Frontier Aerospace Successfully Tests 3D-Printed Rocket Engine

FRCE Innovation Lab Creates Rapid Solution for F-35 Fleet

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) has produced 2,000 O-ring installation tools for F-35 Lightning II aircraft using 3D printing technology. The project was... read more »

Military
FRCE Innovation Lab Creates Rapid Solution for F-35 Fleet

Etsy’s New 3D Printing Restrictions: What Sellers Need to Know

Etsy has recently updated its policy regarding items in the "Made by a Seller" category, specifically clarifying rules for products created with "computerized... read more »

News

New 3D-Printing Technique Creates Dual-Material Objects from Single Resin

Researchers have developed a new Vat photopolymerization technique that creates both permanent objects and dissolvable supports in a single process. According to a... read more »

Materials
New 3D-Printing Technique Creates Dual-Material Objects from Single Resin

Northumbria Receives EU Funding for Sustainable 3D-Printed Construction Research

Northumbria University has received a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Fellowship worth over a quarter million euros to research low-carbon, 3D-printed construction materials. The... read more »

Construction
Northumbria Receives EU Funding for Sustainable 3D-Printed Construction Research

3D-Printed Sports Bra Could Help Olympic Star Break Historic Athletics Record

Nike has developed a new 3D-printed sports bra called the FlyWeb Bra for runner Faith Kipyegon's attempt to break the 4-minute mile barrier.... read more »

News
3D-Printed Sports Bra Could Help Olympic Star Break Historic Athletics Record

Vietnam Emerges in High-Tech Medicine as Vinmec Pioneers 3D-Printed Breakthroughs

Across pediatric, adult, and geriatric cases, Vietnam’s Vinmec Healthcare System's implementation of 3D printing solutions has significantly transformed patient outcomes, replacing disability with... read more »

Medical
Vietnam Emerges in High-Tech Medicine as Vinmec Pioneers 3D-Printed Breakthroughs

Johns Hopkins APL Helps Navy Overcome Metal 3D Printing Reliability Concerns

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) are working with the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to address reliability concerns with... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Johns Hopkins APL Helps Navy Overcome Metal 3D Printing Reliability Concerns

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro

    • - Print size: 245 x 245 x 245 mm
    • - 600mm/s max speed
    More details »
    $449.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Plus4

    • - Print size: 305 x 305 x 280 mm
    • - print temperature of 370°C
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech X-Max 3

    • - Print size: 325 x 325 x 315 mm
    • - fully enclosed
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • Snapmaker Artisan Premium 3-in-1

    • - Print size: 400 x 400 x 400 mm
    • - comes with enclosure
    More details »
    $2,999.00 Snapmaker
    Buy Now

Company Information

  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing

Blog

  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal

Featured Reviews

  • Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
  • Creality Ender 5 S1
  • The Mole 3D Scanner
  • Flashforge Creator 3 Pro

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2025 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing