FEATURE Robotics The era of reconfi gurable robots By Chris Froud, Partner, and Atheer Galdagon, Associate, at European Intellectual Property Firm, Withers & Rogers R
obotics innovators have been developing technologies that can work in many ways and confi gurations. Whilst most are
currently prototypes, these multi-tasking robots are eagerly awaited in many sectors.
Recognising the commercial potential of these modern-day ‘Transformers’, it is especially important that innovators protect their technologies on route to market.
Despite concerns that focusing on multi-functionality could mean that reconfi gurable robots are less suitable for highly-specialised tasks, there are many potential benefi ts. For instance, while reconfi gurable robots may not be suitable for delicate tasks that require a high degree of skill or precision, such as operating on humans for example, they could be ideal for delivering medicines directly into areas of the human body, as demonstrated by the scale-reconfi gurable miniature ferrofl uidic robot (SMFR). Developed by researchers at the
Taiwan’s Soochow University, the Harbin Institute of Technology in China and Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, the SMFR is constructed using oil-based ferrofl uid droplets, which can be controlled magnetically. The soft robot has detachable parts that are capable of passing through smaller spaces in the human body to deliver medicines. These parts re-attach to become a single unit when spaces are large enough. Sometimes described as “modular
robotics systems”, solutions that can self-organise in this way could also be used on a much larger scale, for example for tasks that require access to diffi cult to reach or highly dangerous areas, such as deep-sea construction sites or nuclear reactors.
The ability to change shape in order to access diff erent environments before becoming a singular unit again could make them suitable for use in space, too. For example, NASA’s “origami robot” known as PUFFER (Pop-Up Flat Folding Explorer Robot) is an exploration robot, designed to scout regions on the moon, regardless of the terrain.
16 May 2023 | Automation
NASA’s PUFFER robot As the potential applications for
robotics systems diversify, so do the challenges of protecting innovations. In the case of the reconfi gurable robots, it could be diffi cult to decide on the best intellectual property. By only patent protecting the diff erent shapes and functions available to a specifi c model, innovators may be opening themselves up to not only higher costs but also the possibility that a competitor might work around a patent by simply removing a single robotic confi guration. Similarly, by only patent protecting the modularity of an innovative robotic system and the core components that allow it to work in specifi c ways (in short, the essence of what makes the robot reconfi gurable), competitors might create a robot that can perform the same task in a diff erent way to avoid patent infringements.
NASA’s Mars Rover robot
Furthermore, as artifi cial intelligence continues to advance, it may become possible for reconfi gurable robots to learn new tasks independently, which could lead to inadvertent patent infringement by the robot itself. The best way to protect innovations in this fast-developing space of R&D is to create a ‘patent thicket’ – securing multiple patents, protecting both the functionality and application of the robot. Innovators should also be open to cross-licensing deals where appropriate, as agreements of this nature could mitigate the risk of facing a costly patent infringement claim. With reconfi gurable robots holding a lot of promise for the future and innovation activity still being relatively new and at an early stage, there is an opportunity for early adopters to secure broad patent protection that will put them in a strong commercial position in the future. For innovators of reconfi gurable robots, developing an agile IP strategy that evolves as the technology improves and potential applications develop will be important to optimise their commercial potential in the future.
CONTACT:
Withers & Rogers
www.withersrogers.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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