TED2018
Giada Gerboni: The incredible potential of flexible, soft robots
吉阿达 · 格尔博尼: 灵活的柔性机器人潜力无限
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机器人为速度和精度而设计——但刚性常常限制了它们的使用方式。在这个启发性的演讲中，生物医学工程师吉阿达 · 格尔博尼分享了“柔性机器人”的最新发展，这是一个新兴领域，旨在创造能模仿大自然的灵活机器，例如机器章鱼。进一步了解这些柔性结构是如何在手术、医疗和日常生活中发挥关键作用的吧。
Giada Gerboni - Biomedical engineer
Giada Gerboni works in surgical robotics, supporting surgeons with new flexible robotic devices in order to make once impossible operations a reality. Full bio
Giada Gerboni works in surgical robotics, supporting surgeons with new flexible robotic devices in order to make once impossible operations a reality. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
So, robots.
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说到机器人。
机器人可被编程进行
00:15
Robots can be programmed
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00:16
to do the same task millions of times
with minimal error,
with minimal error,
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数百万次的重复任务，而几乎不出错，
00:20
something very difficult for us, right?
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这对我们来说很难做到，对吧？
工作中的机器人很迷人。
00:23
And it can be very impressive
to watch them at work.
to watch them at work.
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看看它们。
00:26
Look at them.
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我可以盯着看几个小时。
00:27
I could watch them for hours.
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00:30
No?
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没有这种感觉吗？
00:31
What is less impressive
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不那么迷人的是，
如果这些机器人离开工厂，
00:33
is that if you take these robots
out of the factories,
out of the factories,
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进入一个不同的环境，不像
在工厂这样进行过精确的了解和测量,
在工厂这样进行过精确的了解和测量,
00:36
where the environments are not
perfectly known and measured like here,
perfectly known and measured like here,
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00:41
to do even a simple task
which doesn't require much precision,
which doesn't require much precision,
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去完成一项不需要什么
精度的简单任务，
精度的简单任务，
结果可能是这样的——
00:45
this is what can happen.
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我是说，就开个门，
不用考虑什么精度。
不用考虑什么精度。
00:46
I mean, opening a door,
you don't require much precision.
you don't require much precision.
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00:49
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
或者测量数据里有个小误差，
00:50
Or a small error in the measurements,
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它错过了阀门，就这样了——
00:53
he misses the valve, and that's it --
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00:55
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
多数情况下，根本无法恢复。
00:56
with no way of recovering,
most of the time.
most of the time.
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00:59
So why is that?
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这是为什么呢？
多年来，
01:01
Well, for many years,
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机器人的设计一直
在强调速度和精度，
在强调速度和精度，
01:03
robots have been designed
to emphasize speed and precision,
to emphasize speed and precision,
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这已经演变成了
一种非常特定的构架。
一种非常特定的构架。
01:06
and this translates
into a very specific architecture.
into a very specific architecture.
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如果观察一个机器臂，
01:09
If you take a robot arm,
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01:10
it's a very well-defined
set of rigid links
set of rigid links
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它是一组精准设计的刚性连杆，
还有马达，也叫致动器，
01:13
and motors, what we call actuators,
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马达让连杆绕着关节移动。
01:15
they move the links about the joints.
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在这种机器人结构中，
01:17
In this robotic structure,
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你必须完美地测量工作环境，
01:18
you have to perfectly
measure your environment,
measure your environment,
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了解周围环境里有什么，
01:20
so what is around,
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还要对机器关节的每一个运动
01:22
and you have to perfectly
program every movement
program every movement
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01:25
of the robot joints,
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完美地编程，
因为一个小误差就会
产生非常大的故障，
产生非常大的故障，
01:27
because a small error
can generate a very large fault,
can generate a very large fault,
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会损坏别的东西，或者
如果别的东西比机器人硬，
如果别的东西比机器人硬，
01:30
so you can damage something
or you can get your robot damaged
or you can get your robot damaged
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01:33
if something is harder.
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就会损坏你的机器人。
那么我们来说说这些机器人。
01:36
So let's talk about them a moment.
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不要去想这些机器人的大脑，
01:38
And don't think
about the brains of these robots
about the brains of these robots
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也不要想我们对它们的
编程有多仔细，
编程有多仔细，
01:41
or how carefully we program them,
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仅仅观察一下它们的身体。
01:44
but rather look at their bodies.
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01:46
There is obviously
something wrong with it,
something wrong with it,
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其中显然存在一些问题，
因为使机器人精确并强壮的东西，
01:49
because what makes a robot
precise and strong
precise and strong
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同时也让它们在现实世界中
变得极度危险且低效，
变得极度危险且低效，
01:52
also makes them ridiculously dangerous
and ineffective in the real world,
and ineffective in the real world,
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因为它们的身体不能变形，
01:57
because their body cannot deform
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也不能更好地适应
与真实环境的交互。
与真实环境的交互。
01:59
or better adjust to the interaction
with the real world.
with the real world.
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02:03
So think about the opposite approach,
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那么，不妨设想一种
截然相反的方式，
截然相反的方式，
让它比周围的所有东西都软。
02:06
being softer than
anything else around you.
anything else around you.
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02:09
Well, maybe you think that you're not
really able to do anything if you're soft,
really able to do anything if you're soft,
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也许你觉得，如果它很柔软
就什么都干不了，
就什么都干不了，
这似乎有点道理。
02:14
probably.
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但大自然的说法则相反。
02:16
Well, nature teaches us the opposite.
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例如，在海底，
02:19
For example, at the bottom of the ocean,
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数千磅的静水压下，
02:21
under thousands of pounds
of hydrostatic pressure,
of hydrostatic pressure,
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一只周身柔软的动物
02:23
a completely soft animal
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可以移动比它硬得多的物体，
并与之相互作用。
并与之相互作用。
02:25
can move and interact
with a much stiffer object than him.
with a much stiffer object than him.
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02:29
He walks by carrying around
this coconut shell
this coconut shell
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它带着这个椰子壳到处走，
就因为触角是柔软的，
02:32
thanks to the flexibility
of his tentacles,
of his tentacles,
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触角既是脚也是手。
02:35
which serve as both his feet and hands.
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02:38
And apparently,
an octopus can also open a jar.
an octopus can also open a jar.
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显然，章鱼还能打开罐子。
02:43
It's pretty impressive, right?
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很神奇，对吧？
02:47
But clearly, this is not enabled
just by the brain of this animal,
just by the brain of this animal,
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但是，这样的行为不仅仅是由
这种动物的大脑实现的，
这种动物的大脑实现的，
也是由它的身体实现的，
02:52
but also by his body,
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这是一个明显的例子，
也许是最明显的例子，
也许是最明显的例子，
02:54
and it's a clear example,
maybe the clearest example,
maybe the clearest example,
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体现了嵌入式智能，
02:58
of embodied intelligence,
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这是所有生物都有的一种智能。
03:00
which is a kind of intelligence
that all living organisms have.
that all living organisms have.
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我们也都有。
03:03
We all have that.
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我们的身体，它的
形状、质地和结构，
形状、质地和结构，
03:05
Our body, its shape,
material and structure,
material and structure,
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是躯体活动的基础，
03:09
plays a fundamental role
during a physical task,
during a physical task,
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我们能主动适应环境，
03:12
because we can conform to our environment
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所以能在各种各样的
状况下完成任务，
状况下完成任务，
03:17
so we can succeed in a large
variety of situations
variety of situations
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03:20
without much planning
or calculations ahead.
or calculations ahead.
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而不必事先做很多计划或计算。
03:23
So why don't we put
some of this embodied intelligence
some of this embodied intelligence
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那么为什么不把某些嵌入式智能
应用到机器人中，
03:26
into our robotic machines,
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让它们摆脱对计算和感知的
03:27
to release them from relying
on excessive work
on excessive work
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过度依赖呢？
03:30
on computation and sensing?
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03:33
Well, to do that, we can follow
the strategy of nature,
the strategy of nature,
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要实现这一点，
我们可以遵循自然法则，
我们可以遵循自然法则，
因为大自然已经通过进化
设计出了非常好的
设计出了非常好的
03:35
because with evolution,
she's done a pretty good job
she's done a pretty good job
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与环境相互作用的机体。
03:38
in designing machines
for environment interaction.
for environment interaction.
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很容易注意到，大自然
经常使用柔软的材料，
经常使用柔软的材料，
03:42
And it's easy to notice that nature
uses soft material frequently
uses soft material frequently
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而很少使用坚硬的材料。
03:47
and stiff material sparingly.
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这就是这个新领域，
或机器人领域所实现的，
或机器人领域所实现的，
03:49
And this is what is done
in this new field or robotics,
in this new field or robotics,
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叫做“柔性机器人学”，
03:53
which is called "soft robotics,"
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它的主要目的不是制造超精密机器，
03:55
in which the main objective
is not to make super-precise machines,
is not to make super-precise machines,
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因为我们已经有这种机器了，
03:59
because we've already got them,
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而是要让机器人能够面对
真实环境中的意外情况，
真实环境中的意外情况，
04:01
but to make robots able to face
unexpected situations in the real world,
unexpected situations in the real world,
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从而能够进入真实环境。
04:06
so able to go out there.
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04:08
And what makes a robot soft
is first of all its compliant body,
is first of all its compliant body,
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机器人之所以柔软，
首先是因为它的柔性躯干，
首先是因为它的柔性躯干，
它由可以承受很大变形的
材料或结构制成，
材料或结构制成，
04:11
which is made of materials or structures
that can undergo very large deformations,
that can undergo very large deformations,
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不再用刚性的连杆，
04:17
so no more rigid links,
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其次，为了让它们移动，
我们使用分布式驱动，
我们使用分布式驱动，
04:19
and secondly, to move them,
we use what we call distributed actuation,
we use what we call distributed actuation,
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我们必须持续控制这个
非常易变形的躯干的形状，
非常易变形的躯干的形状，
04:22
so we have to control continuously
the shape of this very deformable body,
the shape of this very deformable body,
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它的效果就像
有很多个连杆和关节，
有很多个连杆和关节，
04:27
which has the effect
of having a lot of links and joints,
of having a lot of links and joints,
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但却根本没有任何刚性结构。
04:31
but we don't have
any stiff structure at all.
any stiff structure at all.
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可以想象，造一个
柔性机器人的过程
柔性机器人的过程
04:33
So you can imagine that building
a soft robot is a very different process
a soft robot is a very different process
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与构造刚性机器人非常不同，
04:37
than stiff robotics,
where you have links, gears, screws
where you have links, gears, screws
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后者需要用特定方法
去组装连杆、齿轮和螺钉。
去组装连杆、齿轮和螺钉。
04:40
that you must combine
in a very defined way.
in a very defined way.
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04:42
In soft robots, you just build
your actuator from scratch
your actuator from scratch
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而对于软体机器人，
大多数情况下，
大多数情况下，
只需要从头构建致动器，
04:46
most of the time,
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将柔性材料塑造成
04:47
but you shape your flexible material
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对特定输入做出响应的形式。
04:50
to the form that responds
to a certain input.
to a certain input.
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04:53
For example, here,
you can just deform a structure
you can just deform a structure
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例如让这个结构发生形变，
如果想用刚性连杆和关节，
04:55
doing a fairly complex shape
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需要相当复杂的形状去实现，
04:58
if you think about doing the same
with rigid links and joints,
with rigid links and joints,
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而这里使用的只是一个输入值，
05:01
and here, what you use is just one input,
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比如大气压。
05:03
such as air pressure.
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05:05
OK, but let's see
some cool examples of soft robots.
some cool examples of soft robots.
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好的，我们来看几个
很酷的柔性机器人吧。
很酷的柔性机器人吧。
05:09
Here is a little cute guy
developed at Harvard University,
developed at Harvard University,
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这个是哈佛大学研发的
一个可爱的小家伙，
一个可爱的小家伙，
他靠着沿身体施加的压力波走路，
05:14
and he walks thanks to waves
of pressure applied along its body,
of pressure applied along its body,
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由于是柔性的，
他可以从矮桥下溜过，
他可以从矮桥下溜过，
05:18
and thanks to the flexibility,
he can also sneak under a low bridge,
he can also sneak under a low bridge,
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再继续走，
05:22
keep walking,
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然后稍微变换姿势继续走。
05:23
and then keep walking
a little bit different afterwards.
a little bit different afterwards.
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05:27
And it's a very preliminary prototype,
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这是最初的原始模型，
他们还构建了更强大的版本，
搭载了动力，
搭载了动力，
05:29
but they also built a more robust version
with power on board
with power on board
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该版本可以与外部真实的环境的互动，
05:33
that can actually be sent out in the world
and face real-world interactions
and face real-world interactions
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比如一辆车在它身上碾过...
05:38
like a car passing it over it ...
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05:42
and keep working.
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还能继续工作呢。
05:44
It's cute.
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太可爱了。
（笑声）
05:45
(Laughter)
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还有机器鱼，它能像
真鱼一样在水中游动，
真鱼一样在水中游动，
05:46
Or a robotic fish, which swims
like a real fish does in water
like a real fish does in water
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因为它有一个柔软的尾巴，
05:50
simply because it has a soft tail
with distributed actuation
with distributed actuation
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同样利用了气压进行分布式驱动。
05:53
using still air pressure.
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05:55
That was from MIT,
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那是麻省理工学院的作品，
05:57
and of course, we have a robotic octopus.
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当然，还有机器章鱼。
它实际上是柔性机器人学
06:00
This was actually one
of the first projects
of the first projects
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这一新领域开发的首批项目之一。
06:02
developed in this new field
of soft robots.
of soft robots.
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06:04
Here, you see the artificial tentacle,
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你看到的是人造触须，
其实整个机器都是用几根触须打造的，
06:06
but they actually built an entire machine
with several tentacles
with several tentacles
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把机器扔进水里，
06:11
they could just throw in the water,
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可以看到它到处走，
探索海底世界，
探索海底世界，
06:13
and you see that it can kind of go around
and do submarine exploration
and do submarine exploration
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它的行为方式与硬机器人很不一样。
06:17
in a different way
than rigid robots would do.
than rigid robots would do.
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这对于珊瑚礁等脆弱的环境非常重要。
06:21
But this is very important for delicate
environments, such as coral reefs.
environments, such as coral reefs.
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让我们回到陆地。
06:24
Let's go back to the ground.
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你看到的这个画面是
06:26
Here, you see the view
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06:27
from a growing robot developed
by my colleagues in Stanford.
by my colleagues in Stanford.
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我的斯坦福同事开发的
正在成长的机器人。
正在成长的机器人。
相机固定在上面。
06:31
You see the camera fixed on top.
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06:33
And this robot is particular,
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这个机器人很特别，
06:35
because using air pressure,
it grows from the tip,
it grows from the tip,
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因为利用气压，它从顶端生长，
06:37
while the rest of the body stays
in firm contact with the environment.
in firm contact with the environment.
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而身体的其他部分
与环境保持紧密接触。
与环境保持紧密接触。
06:41
And this is inspired
by plants, not animals,
by plants, not animals,
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这是受到植物的启发，不是动物，
它们以相似的方式
传过环境中的障碍不断生长，
传过环境中的障碍不断生长，
06:44
which grows via the material
in a similar manner
in a similar manner
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因此可以面对多种多样的情况。
06:47
so it can face a pretty large
variety of situations.
variety of situations.
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06:51
But I'm a biomedical engineer,
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我是一名生物医学工程师，
也许我最热衷的应用
06:52
and perhaps the application
I like the most
I like the most
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是在医学领域，
06:55
is in the medical field,
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我能想到的与人体近距离互动方式
06:56
and it's very difficult to imagine
a closer interaction with the human body
a closer interaction with the human body
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应该就是实际进入身体内部了，
07:01
than actually going inside the body,
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例如微创手术。
07:03
for example, to perform
a minimally invasive procedure.
a minimally invasive procedure.
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07:06
And here, robots can be
very helpful with the surgeon,
very helpful with the surgeon,
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在这方面，机器人对
外科医生的帮助很大，
外科医生的帮助很大，
因为他们要进入人体
实施手术，就必须
实施手术，就必须
07:10
because they must enter the body
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利用很小的开口和平直的器械，
07:12
using small holes
and straight instruments,
and straight instruments,
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这些器械必须与
非常精细的结构相互作用，
非常精细的结构相互作用，
07:14
and these instruments must interact
with very delicate structures
with very delicate structures
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在非常不确定的环境中，
07:18
in a very uncertain environment,
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并且必须保证安全。
07:20
and this must be done safely.
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另外，要把相机带入体内，
07:22
Also bringing the camera inside the body,
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07:24
so bringing the eyes of the surgeon
inside the surgical field
inside the surgical field
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让医生看到手术区域内部，
如果用硬的器械，
比如传统的内窥镜，
比如传统的内窥镜，
07:27
can be very challenging
if you use a rigid stick,
if you use a rigid stick,
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07:30
like a classic endoscope.
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是非常有挑战性的。
07:32
With my previous research group in Europe,
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我曾与欧洲的研究小组一起，
开发了这种手术用
自摄像柔性机器人，
自摄像柔性机器人，
07:35
we developed this
soft camera robot for surgery,
soft camera robot for surgery,
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它与传统内窥镜非常不同，
07:37
which is very different
from a classic endoscope,
from a classic endoscope,
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能利用组件的柔性来移动，
07:41
which can move thanks
to the flexibility of the module
to the flexibility of the module
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该组件可以向各个方向
弯曲，也可以伸长。
弯曲，也可以伸长。
07:44
that can bend in every direction
and also elongate.
and also elongate.
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外科医生实际上已经
在用它从不同视角
在用它从不同视角
07:49
And this was actually used by surgeons
to see what they were doing
to see what they were doing
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07:52
with other instruments
from different points of view,
from different points of view,
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观察自己对其它器械的操作，
而不用太担心碰到周围的东西。
07:55
without caring that much
about what was touched around.
about what was touched around.
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07:59
And here you see the soft robot in action,
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这里可以看到操作中的柔性机器人，
它就这么进去了。
08:03
and it just goes inside.
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这是人体模拟器，
不是真正的人体。
不是真正的人体。
08:05
This is a body simulator,
not a real human body.
not a real human body.
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它可以四处移动，
08:09
It goes around.
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还能提供光照，因为通常
08:10
You have a light, because usually,
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身体里通常没什么光亮。
08:12
you don't have too many lights
inside your body.
inside your body.
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最好别有。
08:15
We hope.
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（笑声）
08:16
(Laughter)
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有时，外科手术甚至
只用一根针就能完成，
只用一根针就能完成，
08:19
But sometimes, a surgical procedure
can even be done using a single needle,
can even be done using a single needle,
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目前我们正在斯坦福研究
一种非常灵活的针，
一种非常灵活的针，
08:24
and in Stanford now, we are working
on a very flexible needle,
on a very flexible needle,
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是一种非常微小的柔性机器人，
08:28
kind of a very tiny soft robot
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它的机械结构被设计成能够
利用与组织的相互作用，
利用与组织的相互作用，
08:30
which is mechanically designed
to use the interaction with the tissues
to use the interaction with the tissues
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在实体脏器内来回移动。
08:34
and steer around inside a solid organ.
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这让我们有可能到达
实体脏器内部深处的
实体脏器内部深处的
08:36
This makes it possible to reach
many different targets, such as tumors,
many different targets, such as tumors,
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许多不同组织，例如肿瘤，
08:40
deep inside a solid organ
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而且只需要使用单个切入点。
08:42
by using one single insertion point.
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你甚至可以在通往目标组织的路线上
08:44
And you can even steer around
the structure that you want to avoid
the structure that you want to avoid
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绕过想要避开的结构。
08:48
on the way to the target.
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08:51
So clearly, this is a pretty
exciting time for robotics.
exciting time for robotics.
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显然，对于机器人技术来说，
这是一个非常激动人心的时刻。
这是一个非常激动人心的时刻。
我们有了柔性结构的机器人，
08:54
We have robots that have to deal
with soft structures,
with soft structures,
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这对机器人界提出了
08:57
so this poses new
and very challenging questions
and very challenging questions
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新的、非常有挑战的问题，
09:00
for the robotics community,
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事实上，我们刚刚开始
学习如何控制，
学习如何控制，
09:01
and indeed, we are just starting
to learn how to control,
to learn how to control,
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如何在这些非常灵活的
结构上放置传感器。
结构上放置传感器。
09:04
how to put sensors
on these very flexible structures.
on these very flexible structures.
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当然，对于大自然在数百万年的
进化中创造的奇迹，
进化中创造的奇迹，
09:07
But of course, we are not even close
to what nature figured out
to what nature figured out
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09:10
in millions of years of evolution.
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我们的发现根本不值一提。
但有一点我可以肯定：
09:12
But one thing I know for sure:
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机器人将变得更加柔软和安全，
09:14
robots will be softer and safer,
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它们将在现实生活中
为人类提供帮助。
为人类提供帮助。
09:17
and they will be out there helping people.
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谢谢。
09:20
Thank you.
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（掌声）
09:21
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Giada Gerboni - Biomedical engineerGiada Gerboni works in surgical robotics, supporting surgeons with new flexible robotic devices in order to make once impossible operations a reality.
Why you should listen
Giada Gerboni is a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University, in the Collaborative Haptics and Robotics in Medicine (CHARM) Lab. Gerboni is working on the design and control of needle-sized flexible robots, work that aims to improve current percutaneous tumor ablation procedures. As she says: "One of the most exciting parts of this research is to enable surgical operations in ways that, not long ago, had not yet been conceived."
Gerboni received BE and MS degrees in biomedical engineering from the University of Pisa and a PhD in biorobotics from The BioRobotics Institute of Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy. During her PhD, she specialized in surgical robotics, studying and developing innovative strategies for the actuation and sensing of soft and flexible instruments for applications in MIS (Minimally Invasive Surgery).
A new branch of robotics, called "soft robotics," is expanding the boundaries of robotic applications. Soft robotics faces the grand challenge of increasing the capabilities of robots to make them more suitable for physical interactions with the real world. It involves use of soft and flexible materials, deformable sensors and very different control strategies than traditional robots, which are designed to work in well-defined and confined environments. Gerboni has been involved in this field from the time of her PhD, and since then she has been exploring its potential in the medical/surgical area, where safe robot-environment interaction is crucial.
Giada Gerboni | Speaker | TED.com