TED2018
Giada Gerboni: The incredible potential of flexible, soft robots
賈德 · 葛波尼: 靈活軟式機器人的巨大潛力
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為速度和精密而設計的硬式機器人通常使用的方式很有限。 生物醫學工程師賈德 · 葛波尼分享「軟式機器人」的最新發展。這個新興的領域旨在創造模仿自然界的靈活機器，像是機器章魚。 來了解這些靈活的結構如何在外科、醫學和日常生活中起關鍵的作用。
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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機器人，
00:15
Robots can be programmed
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能夠編寫程式以最少出錯的次數
00:16
to do the same task millions of times
with minimal error,
with minimal error,
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讓機器人完成數百萬次相同的任務，
00:20
something very difficult for us, right?
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但對我們人類來說相當困難，對吧？
00:23
And it can be very impressive
to watch them at work.
to watch them at work.
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看它們工作，可能令人印象很深刻。
00:26
Look at them.
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看它們。
00:27
I could watch them for hours.
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我可以連看幾個小時。
00:30
No?
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不是嗎？
00:31
What is less impressive
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不太令人印象深刻的是
00:33
is that if you take these robots
out of the factories,
out of the factories,
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如果這些機器人到了工廠外，
00:36
where the environments are not
perfectly known and measured like here,
perfectly known and measured like here,
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和這裡全然已知和測量過的
環境不一樣，
環境不一樣，
00:41
to do even a simple task
which doesn't require much precision,
which doesn't require much precision,
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即使做個簡單、無須太精密的任務，
00:45
this is what can happen.
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可能會這樣。
00:46
I mean, opening a door,
you don't require much precision.
you don't require much precision.
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我是說，開一扇門無須太精密。
00:49
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
00:50
Or a small error in the measurements,
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或者測量中的一個小錯誤，
00:53
he misses the valve, and that's it --
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使它錯過了閥門，就這樣，完了。
00:55
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
00:56
with no way of recovering,
most of the time.
most of the time.
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大多數時候沒有辦法恢復。
00:59
So why is that?
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為什麼呢？
01:01
Well, for many years,
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多年來，
01:03
robots have been designed
to emphasize speed and precision,
to emphasize speed and precision,
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機器人的設計強調速度和精密度，
01:06
and this translates
into a very specific architecture.
into a very specific architecture.
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轉化成為非常具體的架構。
01:09
If you take a robot arm,
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如果拿一隻機器手臂，
01:10
it's a very well-defined
set of rigid links
set of rigid links
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用的是一套很明確的剛性鏈接
01:13
and motors, what we call actuators,
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和被稱為執行器的機電，
01:15
they move the links about the joints.
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移動關節周圍的鏈接。
01:17
In this robotic structure,
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在這機器人結構裡
01:18
you have to perfectly
measure your environment,
measure your environment,
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周圍的環境必須被完美地測量，
01:20
so what is around,
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周圍有什麼，
01:22
and you have to perfectly
program every movement
program every movement
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也必須完美地編寫
01:25
of the robot joints,
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每個機器人關節動作的指令，
01:27
because a small error
can generate a very large fault,
can generate a very large fault,
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因為一個小錯誤可能會
導致非常大的錯誤，
導致非常大的錯誤，
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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可能損毀東西；
01:33
if something is harder.
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或者，如果那東西比較硬，
就會損毀機器人。
就會損毀機器人。
01:36
So let's talk about them a moment.
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讓我們來談一會兒，
01:38
And don't think
about the brains of these robots
about the brains of these robots
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不要考慮這些機器人的腦
01:41
or how carefully we program them,
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或它的程式寫得多仔細，
01:44
but rather look at their bodies.
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而是看它們的身體。
01:46
There is obviously
something wrong with it,
something wrong with it,
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身體顯然有點不對勁，
01:49
because what makes a robot
precise and strong
precise and strong
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因為使機器人精確和強大的因素
01:52
also makes them ridiculously dangerous
and ineffective in the real world,
and ineffective in the real world,
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也使它們在現實世界中
危險和沒效率，
危險和沒效率，
01:57
because their body cannot deform
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因為它們的身體不能變形，
01:59
or better adjust to the interaction
with the real world.
with the real world.
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也無法更適應
與真實世界的相互作用。
與真實世界的相互作用。
02:03
So think about the opposite approach,
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因此反向思考，
02:06
being softer than
anything else around you.
anything else around you.
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比周圍的其他事物更柔軟。
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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也許你認為柔軟就辦不了事。
02:14
probably.
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或許吧。
02:16
Well, nature teaches us the opposite.
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然而，大自然告訴我們的恰恰相反。
02:19
For example, at the bottom of the ocean,
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例如，在海底，
02:21
under thousands of pounds
of hydrostatic pressure,
of hydrostatic pressure,
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在數千磅的靜水壓力下，
02:23
a completely soft animal
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完全柔軟的動物能移動，
02:25
can move and interact
with a much stiffer object than him.
with a much stiffer object than him.
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也能與比牠硬的物體相互作用。
02:29
He walks by carrying around
this coconut shell
this coconut shell
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牠帶著這個椰子殼走來走去，
02:32
thanks to the flexibility
of his tentacles,
of his tentacles,
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牠的觸手靈活，
02:35
which serve as both his feet and hands.
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既是腳，也是手。
02:38
And apparently,
an octopus can also open a jar.
an octopus can also open a jar.
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很顯然，章魚能開罐。
02:43
It's pretty impressive, right?
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令人印象深刻，對吧？
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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但顯然，牠辦得到不僅由於腦，
02:52
but also by his body,
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也由於身體。
02:54
and it's a clear example,
maybe the clearest example,
maybe the clearest example,
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這是個明顯，也許最明顯
02:58
of embodied intelligence,
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展現智能的例子，
03:00
which is a kind of intelligence
that all living organisms have.
that all living organisms have.
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一種生物具有的智能。
03:03
We all have that.
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我們都有。
03:05
Our body, its shape,
material and structure,
material and structure,
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我們的身體、形狀、材質和結構，
03:09
plays a fundamental role
during a physical task,
during a physical task,
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在做動作時起至關重要的作用；
03:12
because we can conform to our environment
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因為我們符合環境，
03:17
so we can succeed in a large
variety of situations
variety of situations
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因此能在各種情況下成功，
03:20
without much planning
or calculations ahead.
or calculations ahead.
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無需提前計劃或計算。
03:23
So why don't we put
some of this embodied intelligence
some of this embodied intelligence
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那為什麼不把這些展現的身體智能
03:26
into our robotic machines,
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放入機器人，
03:27
to release them from relying
on excessive work
on excessive work
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讓它們擺脫
過度依賴計算和感知的工作呢？
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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為了做到這一點，
我們可以遵循自然的戰略；
我們可以遵循自然的戰略；
03:35
because with evolution,
she's done a pretty good job
she's done a pretty good job
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因為演化過程中的機器
03:38
in designing machines
for environment interaction.
for environment interaction.
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與環境的交互作用設計得非常好。
03:42
And it's easy to notice that nature
uses soft material frequently
uses soft material frequently
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容易注意到大自然常用軟質的材料，
03:47
and stiff material sparingly.
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很少用堅硬的材料。
03:49
And this is what is done
in this new field or robotics,
in this new field or robotics,
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這就是在「軟式機器人」
03:53
which is called "soft robotics,"
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這個新的機器人技術領域裡做的。
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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主要的目標不是製造超精密的機器，
03:59
because we've already got them,
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因為我們已經有了；
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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而是要讓機器人能夠面對
現實世界中的意外情況，
現實世界中的意外情況，
04:06
so able to go out there.
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能夠走出去。
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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要讓機器人柔軟
先要讓的它的身體柔順，
先要讓的它的身體柔順，
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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用可承受大變形的材料或結構構成，
04:17
so no more rigid links,
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不用剛性的連接。
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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其次，用分佈式驅動來移動它們，
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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必須不斷地控制
這種變形身體的形狀，
這種變形身體的形狀，
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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這種變形身體
有很多連接和關節的效果，
有很多連接和關節的效果，
04:31
but we don't have
any stiff structure at all.
any stiff structure at all.
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但沒有任何僵硬的結構。
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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可以想像建造軟式機器人
是個非常不一樣的過程，
是個非常不一樣的過程，
04:37
than stiff robotics,
where you have links, gears, screws
where you have links, gears, screws
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不是用鏈接、齒輪、
螺絲的僵硬機器人，
螺絲的僵硬機器人，
04:40
that you must combine
in a very defined way.
in a very defined way.
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必須以一種非常明確的方式結合。
04:42
In soft robots, you just build
your actuator from scratch
your actuator from scratch
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做軟式機器人
大多時候只需從頭開始建造執行器，
04:46
most of the time,
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04:47
but you shape your flexible material
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但是將柔性的材料
塑造成會回應特定輸入的形式。
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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例如在這裡，
如果用剛性的鏈接和關節，
04:55
doing a fairly complex shape
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04:58
if you think about doing the same
with rigid links and joints,
with rigid links and joints,
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結構將會相當複雜；
05:01
and here, what you use is just one input,
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而（軟式結構）這裡只需一個輸入，
05:03
such as air pressure.
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例如氣壓。
05:05
OK, but let's see
some cool examples of soft robots.
some cool examples of soft robots.
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讓我們看一些軟式機器人的酷例子。
05:09
Here is a little cute guy
developed at Harvard University,
developed at Harvard University,
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這裡有個哈佛大學開發的
可愛的小伙子，
可愛的小伙子，
05:14
and he walks thanks to waves
of pressure applied along its body,
of pressure applied along its body,
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由身體上施加的壓力波而行走；
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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並且靈活到可以在低矮的橋下潛行，
05:22
keep walking,
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一直走，
05:23
and then keep walking
a little bit different afterwards.
a little bit different afterwards.
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一直走，然後有些不同。
05:27
And it's a very preliminary prototype,
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這是個極為初步的原型，
05:29
but they also built a more robust version
with power on board
with power on board
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還有個配有電源板的進階版，
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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能實際在現實世界面對面交流，
05:38
like a car passing it over it ...
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例如汽車開過它的身旁，
05:42
and keep working.
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它繼續向前走。
05:44
It's cute.
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它真可愛。
05:45
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
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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還有機器魚，像真魚一樣游在水中，
05:50
simply because it has a soft tail
with distributed actuation
with distributed actuation
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只因它有柔軟的尾巴，
05:53
using still air pressure.
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用靜止空氣壓來分佈式驅動它。
05:55
That was from MIT,
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是麻省理工學院做的。
05:57
and of course, we have a robotic octopus.
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當然，我們還有機器章魚。
06:00
This was actually one
of the first projects
of the first projects
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實際上是軟式機器人
這新領域開發的第一批專案之一。
這新領域開發的第一批專案之一。
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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這裡看得到人造的觸手，
06:06
but they actually built an entire machine
with several tentacles
with several tentacles
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實際上他們造了
帶有幾隻觸手的整個機器，
帶有幾隻觸手的整個機器，
06:11
they could just throw in the water,
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可以把它扔進水中，
06:13
and you see that it can kind of go around
and do submarine exploration
and do submarine exploration
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它可以四處走動，
06:17
in a different way
than rigid robots would do.
than rigid robots would do.
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以不同於硬式機器人的
方式在水裡探索，
方式在水裡探索，
06:21
But this is very important for delicate
environments, such as coral reefs.
environments, such as coral reefs.
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這對珊瑚礁等微妙環境非常重要。
06:24
Let's go back to the ground.
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讓我們回到地面。
06:26
Here, you see the view
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這裡看得到史丹佛大學的同事
06:27
from a growing robot developed
by my colleagues in Stanford.
by my colleagues in Stanford.
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正開發的機器人的圖。
06:31
You see the camera fixed on top.
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相機固定在頂部。
06:33
And this robot is particular,
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這機器人很特別，
06:35
because using air pressure,
it grows from the tip,
it grows from the tip,
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因為用氣壓，它向上長，
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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而身體的其餘部分
維持與環境的緊密接觸。
維持與環境的緊密接觸。
06:41
And this is inspired
by plants, not animals,
by plants, not animals,
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它的靈感來自於植物，不是動物，
06:44
which grows via the material
in a similar manner
in a similar manner
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植物以類似的方式生長，
06:47
so it can face a pretty large
variety of situations.
variety of situations.
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因此能面對各式各樣的狀況。
06:51
But I'm a biomedical engineer,
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我是生物醫學工程師，
06:52
and perhaps the application
I like the most
I like the most
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我最喜歡醫學領域的應用，
06:55
is in the medical field,
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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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難以想像還有更為緊密的
與人體的相互作用，
與人體的相互作用，
07:01
than actually going inside the body,
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除非實際進入人體的內部，
07:03
for example, to perform
a minimally invasive procedure.
a minimally invasive procedure.
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例如，執行微創手術。
07:06
And here, robots can be
very helpful with the surgeon,
very helpful with the surgeon,
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在此機器人能對外科醫師很有幫助，
07:10
because they must enter the body
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因為醫師們必須使用小孔
和直的器械進入人體，
和直的器械進入人體，
07:12
using small holes
and straight instruments,
and straight instruments,
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07:14
and these instruments must interact
with very delicate structures
with very delicate structures
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這些器械必須在很不確定的環境中
07:18
in a very uncertain environment,
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與非常微妙的結構相互作用，
07:20
and this must be done safely.
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且必須安全地進行。
07:22
Also bringing the camera inside the body,
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將相機帶入身體內部，
07:24
so bringing the eyes of the surgeon
inside the surgical field
inside the surgical field
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將外科醫師的眼睛帶入手術區域
如果用剛性棒可能極具挑戰，
07:27
can be very challenging
if you use a rigid stick,
if you use a rigid stick,
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像傳統的內視鏡之類的。
07:30
like a classic endoscope.
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07:32
With my previous research group in Europe,
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我與以前在歐洲的研究小組一起
07:35
we developed this
soft camera robot for surgery,
soft camera robot for surgery,
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開發這款手術用的軟式照相機器人，
07:37
which is very different
from a classic endoscope,
from a classic endoscope,
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與傳統的內視鏡很不同，它能移動，
07:41
which can move thanks
to the flexibility of the module
to the flexibility of the module
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這要歸功於模塊的靈活性，
07:44
that can bend in every direction
and also elongate.
and also elongate.
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可以向各個方向彎曲或伸長。
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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實際上，外科醫師用這種方法
從不同的角度
觀察其他儀器進行的操作，
觀察其他儀器進行的操作，
07:52
with other instruments
from different points of view,
from different points of view,
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無須分心去在乎觸及了什麼。
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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在這裡看得到軟式機器人在行動，
08:03
and it just goes inside.
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它進入體內，
08:05
This is a body simulator,
not a real human body.
not a real human body.
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這是一具模擬的人體，
不是真正的人體。
不是真正的人體。
08:09
It goes around.
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它四處走動。
08:10
You have a light, because usually,
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有個燈，
08:12
you don't have too many lights
inside your body.
inside your body.
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因為體內通常沒亮光。
08:15
We hope.
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最好沒有。
08:16
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
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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但有時候，甚至可以
用單針完成外科手術，
用單針完成外科手術，
08:24
and in Stanford now, we are working
on a very flexible needle,
on a very flexible needle,
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我們現今在史丹佛大學
研究一種非常靈活的針頭，
研究一種非常靈活的針頭，
08:28
kind of a very tiny soft robot
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它是一種非常小巧的軟式機器人，
08:30
which is mechanically designed
to use the interaction with the tissues
to use the interaction with the tissues
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被設計來與組織相互作用，
08:34
and steer around inside a solid organ.
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在堅實的器官內轉來轉去，
08:36
This makes it possible to reach
many different targets, such as tumors,
many different targets, such as tumors,
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所以通過單個插入孔
就能到達實體器官深處的腫瘤
08:40
deep inside a solid organ
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或許多不同目標。
08:42
by using one single insertion point.
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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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甚至還可以繞過
避開到達目標前的其他結構。
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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顯然對於機器人來說
這是個非常來勁的時刻。
這是個非常來勁的時刻。
08:54
We have robots that have to deal
with soft structures,
with soft structures,
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有了軟式結構的機器人，
08:57
so this poses new
and very challenging questions
and very challenging questions
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給機器人業界帶來新的、
極具挑戰性的問題，
極具挑戰性的問題，
09:00
for the robotics community,
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09:01
and indeed, we are just starting
to learn how to control,
to learn how to control,
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而我們實際上才剛剛
開始學習如何控制，
開始學習如何控制，
09:04
how to put sensors
on these very flexible structures.
on these very flexible structures.
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如何將傳感器放在這些
非常靈活的結構上。
非常靈活的結構上。
09:07
But of course, we are not even close
to what nature figured out
to what nature figured out
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但是當然我們還離自然界
09:10
in millions of years of evolution.
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數百萬年演變過程中的
發現還遠得很。
發現還遠得很。
09:12
But one thing I know for sure:
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但有一點我很肯定：
09:14
robots will be softer and safer,
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機器人會更柔軟、更安全，
09:17
and they will be out there helping people.
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它們能幫人的還多著呢。
09:20
Thank you.
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謝謝。
09:21
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
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