Soft Growing Robots: From Search-and-Rescue to Intraluminal Interventions

 Growing robots are inspired by the ability of vine plants to navigate via growth. They demonstrate unique capabilities such as tip extension, maneuvrability in narrow openings or complex environments, and the possibility of passing tools along a hollow central channel or via a functionalized tip. Example applications for these robots include medical robotics for minimally invasive surgery, search-and-rescue, archaeological inspection, burrowing, and also plant monitoring.

However, with the topic being relatively new, many challenges associated with their design, sensing, perception, modelling and control have been identified along the way. It has been frequently demonstrated that growing robots have limited steerability, complex control, non-trivial quasistatic and dynamic modelling, while they risk buckling and deforming as they extend to greater lengths. Their miniaturisation and fit-for-purpose design and manufacturing represent additional complexities for this class of robots. These challenges make growing robots a fascinating research topic but hinder their deployment in real-world applications. Inspiration to address them can be found in adjacent domains, such in industry for pipeline repair, and a commonly used approach called trenching.

In this workshop, we will bring together industrial and academic experts to discuss the challenges they have faced, the solutions they have created, and the remaining questions that must be addressed to enable real-world deployment of growing robots. Their seminars will cover design limitations as well as the modelling and control challenges. Additionally, the academic experts will discuss the requirements and features of their robots. By cross-referencing both the features and limitations, we aim to facilitate discussions that move the field forward and catalyse the development of new models, controllers and manufacturing approaches for soft growing robots. Furthermore, the in-depth seminars and discussions will give those who are new to the field an insight into the topic and inspire the next generation of students and early career researchers.

With this being at the forefront of our minds, we aim to bring together experts in the field to answer the following questions:  

• What are the manufacturing requirements for growing robots? 

• What are the challenges faced during the design, modelling and control of growing robots that hinder their deployment in real-world applications? 

• What open software and hardware solutions exist to support research in the domain?  

• What are the scopes for future research in the topic of growing robots?