scholarly journals Soft Robotics: A Review of Recent Developments of Pneumatic Soft Actuators

Actuators ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Walker ◽  
Thomas Zidek ◽  
Cory Harbel ◽  
Sanghyun Yoon ◽  
F. Sterling Strickland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
Tactile Feedback ◽  
Power Supplies ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Circuit Boards ◽  
Pneumatic Actuators ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Soft Actuators

This paper focuses on the recent development of soft pneumatic actuators for soft robotics over the past few years, concentrating on the following four categories: control systems, material and construction, modeling, and sensors. This review work seeks to provide an accelerated entrance to new researchers in the field to encourage research and innovation. Advances in methods to accurately model soft robotic actuators have been researched, optimizing and making numerous soft robotic designs applicable to medical, manufacturing, and electronics applications. Multi-material 3D printed and fiber optic soft pneumatic actuators have been developed, which will allow for more accurate positioning and tactile feedback for soft robotic systems. Also, a variety of research teams have made improvements to soft robot control systems to utilize soft pneumatic actuators to allow for operations to move more effectively. This review work provides an accessible repository of recent information and comparisons between similar works. Future issues facing soft robotic actuators include portable and flexible power supplies, circuit boards, and drive components.

Development of a 3D Printed Soft Parallel Robot

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Garcia ◽  
Amir Ali Amiri Moghadam ◽  
Ayse Tekes ◽  
Randy Emert
Keyword(s):  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Position Control ◽  
Kinematic Model ◽  
Parallel Robot ◽  
Molding Process ◽  
Pneumatic Actuators ◽  
Kinematics Modeling ◽  
Rigid Body Model ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Soft Actuators

Abstract This paper reports on design, fabrication, and kinematics modeling of a 3D printed soft parallel robot equipped with soft pneumatic actuators. Soft robotics is an emerging field of research which facilitates safe human machine interface. Soft elastomeric actuators made through molding process are one of the key elements of soft robotic systems. However, molding process is tedious and time consuming making the fabrication process undesirable. Recently reported 3D printed soft pneumatic actuators pave the way for manufacturing of novel soft actuators and robots with complex geometries. The current work can be considered as a proof of concept for 3D printing of a soft parallel robot. The robot consists of two soft pneumatic actuators that are connected to two passive links by mean of flexible hinges. The robot has two degrees of freedom and can be used in planar manipulation tasks. Moreover, a number of robots can be configured to operate in a cooperative manner to increase the manipulation dexterity. A kinematic model is developed to simulate the motion of robot end-effector. Through application of the kinematic model it has been shown that the robot is capable of following any planar trajectories within its workspace. Also, pseudo-rigid-body model (PRBM) is used to develop a dynamic model of the soft robot to more accurately predict the robot interaction with its environment and also develop advanced control system for robust position control of the robot.

A Learning Control Application for a Pneumatic Manipulator on Impact Motion

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 332-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismail Altuncu ◽  
◽  
Toshiro Noritsugu
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
Absorption Feature ◽  
Pneumatic Actuators ◽  
Reference Velocity ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
Control Application ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Velocity Tracking ◽  
Impact Motion ◽  
Impact Absorption

Pneumatic actuators are soft actuators that provide quick impacts that are not observed in other actuator types. Moreover, they absorb impact during tasks with collision. The emphasis of this study is to make use of the properties of pneumatic actuators. One of the control uses planned for the pneumatic robot link is a PD controller enhanced with a disturbance observer for maintaining reference angular velocity tracking. Another use is as a learning controller that updates the input term of the reference velocity for the velocity controller according to the impact force detected during each collision. Experiments were carried out in order to validate the velocity tracking and impact control performances of the control systems designed. Additional experiments tested the impact absorption feature of the pneumatic system. It was found that pneumatic actuators can absorb shock and vibration effects, resulting from impacts, that are undesirable in mechanical systems.

Design and Characterization of Edible Soft Robotic Candy Actuators

MRS Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (50) ◽  
pp. 3003-3009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditya N. Sardesai ◽  
Xavier M. Segel ◽  
Matthew N. Baumholtz ◽  
Yiheng Chen ◽  
Ruhao Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
The Body ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Compression Tests ◽  
Pneumatic Actuators ◽  
School Division ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Elementary Aged Children ◽  
Design Competition ◽  
Robotic Devices

ABSTRACTOne of the goals of soft robotics is the ability to interface with the human body. Traditionally, silicone materials have dominated the field of soft robotics. In order to shift to materials that are more compatible with the body, developments will have to be made into biodegradable and biocompatible soft robots. This investigation focused on developing gummy actuators which are biodegradable, edible, and tasty. Creating biodegradable and edible actuators can be both sold as an interactive candy product and also inform the design of implantable soft robotic devices. First, commercially available gelatin-based candies were recast into pneumatic actuators utilizing molds. Edible robotic devices were pneumatically actuated repeatedly (up to n=8 actuations) using a 150 psi power inflator. To improve upon the properties of actuators formed from commercially available candy, a novel gelatin-based formulation, termed the “Fordmula” was also developed and used to create functional actuators. To investigate the mechanics and functionality of the recast gummy material and the Fordmula, compression testing and biodegradation studies were performed. Mechanical compression tests showed that recast gummy materials had similar properties to commercially available candies and at low strain had similar behavior to traditional silicone materials. Degradation studies showed that actuation was possible within 15 minutes in a biologically relevant solution followed by complete dissolution of the actuator afterwards. A taste test with elementary aged children demonstrated the fun, edible, and educational appeal of the candy actuators. Edible actuator development was an entry and winning submission in the High School Division of the Soft Robotics Toolkit Design Competition hosted by Harvard University. Demonstration of edible soft robotic actuators created by middle and high school aged students shows the applicability of the Soft Robotics Toolkit for K12 STEM education.

A Review of Recent Developments in Natural Fiber Composites and their Mechanical, Thermal & Machinabilty Properties

2018 ◽  
Vol 1148 ◽  
pp. 61-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Joshua Jaya Prasad ◽  
Puli Suresh Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Exponential Growth ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Natural Fiber ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Natural Fibers ◽  
Fiber Composites ◽  
Light Weight ◽  
Natural Fiber Composites ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Recent Developments

Recently, there has been an exponential growth in research and innovation in the natural fiber composites (NFC) due to their diversified applications in the field of engineering. Biodegradability, light weight, formability and availability at low cost are the attractive merits of the natural fibers. Mechanical, Thermal and Machinabilty properties of Natural fiber composites have their own advantage and adoptability in the field of automobile, power plants, aeronautical, defense and naval applications. This review aims to provide an overview of the comparison of differ types of Natural fiber composites, factors that affect the mechanical, thermal and machinabilty of NFCs and their engineering applications.

Recent Developments in Ride Control

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan J. Haywood ◽  
Benton H. Schaub ◽  
Chris M. Pappas
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
High Speed ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Early Adoption ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Ride Control ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Material Choice ◽  
Maintenance Requirements ◽  
Broad Understanding

The use of ride control systems on high speed vessels has become the norm within many industries, producing better seakeeping that in turn provides a more comfortable and operationally effective vessel. Commercial ferry designers have been at the forefront of adoption of new technologies notably with early adoption of T-foils and interceptors. These devices have been taken up by others, for example offshore crew boats and frontline naval warships. The range of vessel types has also expanded with more industries adopting different hull designs including catamarans and trimarans. Ride control systems have developed alongside innovative designers producing for example combined lifting foil and ride control systems, lifting T-foil systems, retractable T-foils. This paper will review the different ride control devices including fins, trim tabs, interceptors, T-foils (including retractable T-foils) and lifting foils. As well as technical aspects, the discussion will consider costs, ease of installation, operational and maintenance requirements and material choice. Extensive examples from a wide range of industries will be presented. By the end of the talk, delegates will have a broad understanding of the options available to them in improving the seakeeping of their vessels.

Valveless microliter combustion for densely packed arrays of powerful soft actuators

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (39) ◽  
pp. e2106553118
Author(s):  
Ronald H. Heisser ◽  
Cameron A. Aubin ◽  
Ofek Peretz ◽  
Nicholas Kincaid ◽  
Hyeon Seok An ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tactile Stimulation ◽  
Exothermic Reaction ◽  
Tactile Display ◽  
Metal Electrodes ◽  
Pneumatic Actuators ◽  
Display Technology ◽  
Fluidic Actuators ◽  
Operational Frequency ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
Flame Behavior

Existing tactile stimulation technologies powered by small actuators offer low-resolution stimuli compared to the enormous mechanoreceptor density of human skin. Arrays of soft pneumatic actuators initially show promise as small-resolution (1- to 3-mm diameter), highly conformable tactile display strategies yet ultimately fail because of their need for valves bulkier than the actuators themselves. In this paper, we demonstrate an array of individually addressable, soft fluidic actuators that operate without electromechanical valves. We achieve this by using microscale combustion and localized thermal flame quenching. Precisely, liquid metal electrodes produce sparks to ignite fuel lean methane–oxygen mixtures in a 5-mm diameter, 2-mm tall silicone cylinder. The exothermic reaction quickly pressurizes the cylinder, displacing a silicone membrane up to 6 mm in under 1 ms. This device has an estimated free-inflation instantaneous stroke power of 3 W. The maximum reported operational frequency of these cylinders is 1.2 kHz with average displacements of ∼100 µm. We demonstrate that, at these small scales, the wall-quenching flame behavior also allows operation of a 3 × 3 array of 3-mm diameter cylinders with 4-mm pitch. Though we primarily present our device as a tactile display technology, it is a platform microactuator technology with application beyond this one.

Power Inductors in Ceramic Multilayer Circuit Boards

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 161-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Matz ◽  
Dieter Götsch ◽  
Thomas Goßner ◽  
Roman Karmazin ◽  
Ruth Männer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Coupling ◽  
Power Supplies ◽  
Circuit Boards ◽  
Mnzn Ferrite ◽  
Small Signal Analysis ◽  
Switched Mode Power Supplies ◽  
Power Inductors ◽  
Generic Design ◽  
Ring Core ◽  
Multilayer Circuit Boards

Power electronic inductors, with values of several μH, have been integrated into thermally stable ceramic multilayer circuit boards by the use of NiZnCu and MnZn ferrite tapes in low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) technology. These ferrites are particularly attractive for switched mode power supplies in automation, drives, and consumer applications, where the miniaturization of modules is triggered by advances in transistor technology and switching frequencies. The small signal analysis of embedded individual inductors and coupled transformer coils reveals the generic design rules for these components and additional materials properties beyond those accessible by ring core measurements. In the process of adapting the materials to LTCC, the distinct differences between the two materials become blurred, for example, they can be engineered to exhibit similar cutoff frequencies. NiZnCu ferrite, which is sinterable in air, may even achieve higher permeability than MnZn ferrite. The latter, however, shows higher saturation flux density and current capacity of buried inductors for power line filters. The coupled inductor design in a transformer is particularly ruled by the shunt capacitance inside the coils and by the fact that Maxwell equations preclude strong magnetic coupling between ferrite-embedded conductor lines. While parasitic capacitances remain tolerable for standard dielectric layer material up to several MHz, the need for magnetic coupling requires a fabrication process for magnetic vias.

scholarly journals Computational and Experimental Design Exploration of 3D‐Printed Soft Pneumatic Actuators

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (7) ◽  
pp. 2070072
Author(s):  
Kahraman G. Demir ◽  
Zhizhou Zhang ◽  
Jehan Yang ◽  
Grace X. Gu
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Design Exploration ◽  
Pneumatic Actuators ◽  
3D Printed
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