scholarly journals Microrobotic tentacles with spiral bending capability based on shape-engineered elastomeric microtubes

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jungwook Paek ◽  
Inho Cho ◽  
Jaeyoun Kim
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Model ◽  
Pneumatic Actuator ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Fabrication Technique ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Micro Actuators

Abstract Microscale soft-robots hold great promise as safe handlers of delicate micro-objects but their wider adoption requires micro-actuators with greater efficiency and ease-of-fabrication. Here we present an elastomeric microtube-based pneumatic actuator that can be extended into a microrobotic tentacle. We establish a new, direct peeling-based technique for building long and thin, highly deformable microtubes and a semi-analytical model for their shape-engineering. Using them in combination, we amplify the microtube’s pneumatically-driven bending into multi-turn inward spiraling. The resulting micro-tentacle exhibit spiraling with the final radius as small as ~185 μm and grabbing force of ~0.78 mN, rendering itself ideal for non-damaging manipulation of soft, fragile micro-objects. This spiraling tentacle-based grabbing modality, the direct peeling-enabled elastomeric microtube fabrication technique and the concept of microtube shape-engineering are all unprecedented and will enrich the field of soft-robotics.

scholarly journals O Futuro de Soft Robotics: Uma Revisão Bibliográfica

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo Dos Santos ◽  
Guilherme Da Silva ◽  
Juliana Silva
Keyword(s):  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Medical Area ◽  
The Future

This study seeks to explain a new theme that has a potential of great impact in the future. Soft robots are robots that, because they are soft and not limited by their axes, can go beyond how rigid robots work. The objective of this study is to present a review of the literature on soft robots. The literature shows little research on these robots, presenting difficulties mainly in the research of sensors and materials to be used in their construction. Despite the difficulties, the increase of research with this approach will have great impacts, mainly in the medical area.

scholarly journals Additive Manufacturing for Soft Robotics: Design and Fabrication of Airtight, Monolithic Bending PneuNets with Embedded Air Connectors

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianni Stano ◽  
Luca Arleo ◽  
Gianluca Percoco
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Chamber Wall ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Robot ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Bending Performance ◽  
3D Print ◽  
Air Tightness ◽  
The Relationship

Air tightness is a challenging task for 3D-printed components, especially for fused filament fabrication (FFF), due to inherent issues, related to the layer-by-layer fabrication method. On the other hand, the capability of 3D print airtight cavities with complex shapes is very attractive for several emerging research fields, such as soft robotics. The present paper proposes a repeatable methodology to 3D print airtight soft actuators with embedded air connectors. The FFF process has been optimized to manufacture monolithic bending PneuNets (MBPs), an emerging class of soft robots. FFF has several advantages in soft robot fabrication: (i) it is a fully automated process which does not require manual tasks as for molding, (ii) it is one of the most ubiquitous and inexpensive (FFF 3D printers costs < $200) 3D-printing technologies, and (iii) more materials can be used in the same printing cycle which allows embedding of several elements in the soft robot body. Using commercial soft filaments and a dual-extruder 3D printer, at first, a novel air connector which can be easily embedded in each soft robot, made via FFF technology with a single printing cycle, has been fabricated and tested. This new embedded air connector (EAC) prevents air leaks at the interface between pneumatic pipe and soft robot and replaces the commercial air connections, often origin of leakages in soft robots. A subsequent experimental study using four different shapes of MBPs, each equipped with EAC, showed the way in which different design configurations can affect bending performance. By focusing on the best performing shape, among the tested ones, the authors studied the relationship between bending performance and air tightness, proving how the Design for Additive Manufacturing approach is essential for advanced applications involving FFF. In particular, the relationship between chamber wall thickness and printing parameters has been analyzed, the thickness of the walls has been studied from 1.6 to 1 mm while maintaining air tightness and improving the bending angle by 76.7% under a pressure of 4 bar. It emerged that the main printing parameter affecting chamber wall air tightness is the line width that, in conjunction with the wall thickness, can ensure air tightness of the soft actuator body.

scholarly journals A review of 3D printing processes and materials for soft robotics

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1345-1361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yee Ling Yap ◽  
Swee Leong Sing ◽  
Wai Yee Yeong
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Future ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Multiple Materials ◽  
Printing Processes ◽  
Printing Techniques

Purpose Soft robotics is currently a rapidly growing new field of robotics whereby the robots are fundamentally soft and elastically deformable. Fabrication of soft robots is currently challenging and highly time- and labor-intensive. Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) printing of soft materials and multi-materials have become the key to enable direct manufacturing of soft robots with sophisticated designs and functions. Hence, this paper aims to review the current 3D printing processes and materials for soft robotics applications, as well as the potentials of 3D printing technologies on 3D printed soft robotics. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews the polymer 3D printing techniques and materials that have been used for the development of soft robotics. Current challenges to adopting 3D printing for soft robotics are also discussed. Next, the potentials of 3D printing technologies and the future outlooks of 3D printed soft robotics are presented. Findings This paper reviews five different 3D printing techniques and commonly used materials. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique for the soft robotic application are evaluated. The typical designs and geometries used by each technique are also summarized. There is an increasing trend of printing shape memory polymers, as well as multiple materials simultaneously using direct ink writing and material jetting techniques to produce robotics with varying stiffness values that range from intrinsically soft and highly compliant to rigid polymers. Although the recent work is done is still limited to experimentation and prototyping of 3D printed soft robotics, additive manufacturing could ultimately be used for the end-use and production of soft robotics. Originality/value The paper provides the current trend of how 3D printing techniques and materials are used particularly in the soft robotics application. The potentials of 3D printing technology on the soft robotic applications and the future outlooks of 3D printed soft robotics are also presented.

scholarly journals Soft Robotics: Miniature Pneumatic Actuators for Soft Robots by High‐Resolution Multimaterial 3D Printing (Adv. Mater. Technol. 10/2019)

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 1970054
Author(s):  
Yuan‐Fang Zhang ◽  
Colin Ju‐Xiang Ng ◽  
Zhe Chen ◽  
Wang Zhang ◽  
Sahil Panjwani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Pneumatic Actuators

Stimulus-Driven Liquid Metal and Liquid Crystal Network Actuators for Programmable Soft Robotics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengfei Lv ◽  
Xiao Yang ◽  
Hari Krishna Bisoyi ◽  
Hao Zeng ◽  
Xuan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Crystal ◽  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Soft Matter ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Crystal Network ◽  
Flexible Electronic

Sophisticated soft matter engineering has been endorsed as an emerging paradigm for developing untethered soft robots with built-in electronic functions and biomimetic adaptation capacities. However, the integration of flexible electronic...

Nanotextured Soft Electrothermo-Pneumatic Actuator for Constructing Lightweight, Integrated, and Untethered Soft Robotics

Soft Robotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Il Kim ◽  
Seongpil An ◽  
Chanwoo Park ◽  
Taegun Kim ◽  
Ali Aldalbahi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pneumatic Actuator ◽  
Soft Robotics

scholarly journals Soft Robotic Hands and Tactile Sensors for Underwater Robotics

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 356-383
Author(s):  
Rafsan Al Shafatul Islam Subad ◽  
Liam B. Cross ◽  
Kihan Park
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Tactile Sensing ◽  
Underwater Robotics ◽  
Tactile Sensors ◽  
Robotic Hands ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Robotic Applications

Research in the field of underwater (UW) robotic applications is rapidly developing. The emergence of coupling the newest technologies on submersibles, different types of telecommunication devices, sensors, and soft robots is transforming the rigid approach to robotic design by providing solutions that bridge the gap between accuracy and adaptability in an environment where there is so much fluctuation in object targeting and environmental conditions. In this paper, we represent a review of the history, development, recent research endeavors, and projected outlook for the area of soft robotics technology pertaining to its use with tactile sensing in the UW environment.

scholarly journals Well, Actuate(ly)...: Parametric Multi-Material 3D Printed Soft Robotics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Coulson
Keyword(s):  
Complex Geometry ◽  
Casting Process ◽  
Soft Materials ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
3D Print ◽  
Parametric Control ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Polyjet Printing

<b>In recent years, soft robotics has gained wide interest in the research field and has also garnered some commercial success. This is because soft robots are comprised of soft materials that have inherent compliance which lends them to a wide variety of applications that are not suited to traditional hard-bodied robots. </b><p>Soft robots are generally created using a casting process, which comes with limitations to the geometry due to the removal of the cast body from the mould. This research seeks to enhance the capabilities of soft robotic limbs using multi-material Polyjet printing – a recently developed additive manufacturing technology – which allows for geometric freedom and variable materials within a singular soft 3D print which is not feasible using other fabrication methods. </p> <p>This research draws inspiration from natural mechanisms such as muscular hydrostats, to enable the exploration of singular channel soft robots that exhibit bending, twisting, elongation, and expansion all in one 3D print. The geometric freedom and variable materiality of the Stratasys J750 produce actuation results for each motion that cannot be easily replicated using traditional fabrication techniques. The printable materials of the Stratasys J750 were found to have tendencies to tear upon inflation, however, a large array of prints with complex geometry were able to successfully actuate despite this. In some areas, results outperformed actuators made using other fabrication techniques, as was particularly evident in the twisting actuators. Through fine-tuned parametric control with equation-driven modelling, this portfolio presents a method for soft robotic design and construction that can produce a limb with multiple motions and up to 5 axes of movement that can be tailored to specific pre-defined applications.</p>

scholarly journals Soft Adaptive Mechanical Metamaterials

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romik Khajehtourian ◽  
Dennis M. Kochmann
Keyword(s):  
Soft Materials ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Strongly Nonlinear ◽  
Mechanical Metamaterials ◽  
Unit Cells ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Mechanical Logic

Soft materials are inherently flexible and make suitable candidates for soft robots intended for specific tasks that would otherwise not be achievable (e.g., smart grips capable of picking up objects without prior knowledge of their stiffness). Moreover, soft robots exploit the mechanics of their fundamental building blocks and aim to provide targeted functionality without the use of electronics or wiring. Despite recent progress, locomotion in soft robotics applications has remained a relatively young field with open challenges yet to overcome. Justly, harnessing structural instabilities and utilizing bistable actuators have gained importance as a solution. This report focuses on substrate-free reconfigurable structures composed of multistable unit cells with a nonconvex strain energy potential, which can exhibit structural transitions and produce strongly nonlinear transition waves. The energy released during the transition, if sufficient, balances the dissipation and kinetic energy of the system and forms a wave front that travels through the structure to effect its permanent or reversible reconfiguration. We exploit a triangular unit cell’s design space and provide general guidelines for unit cell selection. Using a continuum description, we predict and map the resulting structure’s behavior for various geometric and material properties. The structural motion created by these strongly nonlinear metamaterials has potential applications in propulsion in soft robotics, morphing surfaces, reconfigurable devices, mechanical logic, and controlled energy absorption.

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