A revolutionary new wheel could be a gamechanger for those with mobility impairments. As revealed on Thursday, Nov. 14, researchers in South Korea have come up with what they call the world’s first “morphing” wheel.
The technology functions like a rigid wheel on flat ground but transforms into a flexible form when navigating stairs or other obstacles.
Designed to mimic the surface tension of water droplets, the wheel goes from solid to spongy when it detects humps, bumps, curbs or stairs.
The principal researcher of the project Song Sung-Hyuk said, “When the force that pulls the outermost molecules of a liquid droplet inward increases, the droplet can maintain a stable circular shape. Similarly, our wheel is designed with a smart chain block on the outer edge, the greater the inward pull on this block, the more stably it maintains a round shape.”
In other words, when wire spokes stiffen, the chain blocks are pulled inward and the wheel becomes hard. When wire spokes are loosened, the wheel becomes soft enough to grasp onto uneven surfaces.
However, the technology isn’t just for wheelchairs, the innovation may reportedly be used for a range of devices, from autonomous vehicles delivering food or groceries, to robots in the battlefield spying on the enemy.
The team of researchers said they also hope to use the shapeshifting wheels with two and four-legged robots to carry payloads needing more stability in industrial environments.
“This modularized wheel can be attached to any mobile platform simply by replacing existing wheels,” Song said. “Once installed, the wheels provide variable stiffness, adapting to each application. We are continuously conducting research to optimize the wheel’s performance for various applications.”
Researchers say one of their ultimate goals is to make the wheel capable of traveling up to 62 miles per hour, or the average speed of a car.
