scholarly journals Contactless Manipulation of Soft Robots

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim ◽  
Park ◽  
Won ◽  
Jeon ◽  
Wie
Keyword(s):  
Recent Progress ◽  
Polymeric Materials ◽  
Anisotropic Materials ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Mechanical Joints ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
The Given

In recent years, jointless soft robots have demonstrated various curvilinear motions unlike conventional robotic systems requiring complex mechanical joints and electrical design principles. The materials employed to construct soft robots are mainly programmable anisotropic polymeric materials to achieve contactless manipulation of miniaturized and lightweight soft robots through their anisotropic strain responsivity to external stimuli. Although reviews on soft actuators are extensive, those on untethered soft robots are scant. In this study, we focus on the recent progress in the manipulation of untethered soft robots upon receiving external stimuli such as magnetic fields, light, humidity, and organic solvents. For each external stimulus, we provide an overview of the working principles along with the characteristics of programmable anisotropic materials and polymeric composites used in soft robotic systems. In addition, potential applications for untethered soft robots are discussed based on the physicochemical properties of programmable anisotropic materials for the given external stimuli.

scholarly journals A Dual-origami  Design Enables the Quasi-sequential Deployment and Bending  Motion of Soft Robots and Grippers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Woongbae Kim ◽  
Jaemin Eom ◽  
Kyujin Cho
Keyword(s):  
Fused Deposition Modeling ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Fused Deposition ◽  
Sealing Performance ◽  
Fluidic Actuators ◽  
Deposition Modeling ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
Design Guidance

Soft fluidic actuators produce continuous and life-like motions that are intrinsically safe, but current designs are not yet mature enough to enable large deployment with high force and low-cost fabrication methods. Here, soft fluidic actuators with two superimposed origami architectures are reported. Driven by a fluid input, the presented dual-origami soft actuators produce quasi-sequential deployment and bending motion that is guided by unsymmetric unfolding of low-stretchable origami components. The dominance between the deployment and bending can be shifted by varying the unfolding behavior, enabling pre-programming of the motion. The proposed origami-inspired soft actuators are directly fabricated by low-cost fused deposition modeling 3D-printing, and subjected to a heat treatment post-processing to enhance the fluid sealing performance. Finally, soft gripper applications are presented and they successfully demonstrate gripping tasks that each requires strength, delicacy, precision and dexterity. The dual-origami approach offers a design guidance for soft robots to embody grow-and-retract motion with a small initial form factor, promising for applications in next-generation soft robotic systems.

scholarly journals Recent Progress on Plant-Inspired Soft Robotics with Hydrogel Building Blocks: Fabrication, Actuation and Application

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 608
Author(s):  
Zhenyu Xu ◽  
Yongsen Zhou ◽  
Baoping Zhang ◽  
Chao Zhang ◽  
Jianfeng Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Life On Earth ◽  
External Stimuli

Millions of years’ evolution has imparted life on earth with excellent environment adaptability. Of particular interest to scientists are some plants capable of macroscopically and reversibly altering their morphological and mechanical properties in response to external stimuli from the surrounding environment. These intriguing natural phenomena and underlying actuation mechanisms have provided important design guidance and principles for man-made soft robotic systems. Constructing bio-inspired soft robotic systems with effective actuation requires the efficient supply of mechanical energy generated from external inputs, such as temperature, light, and electricity. By combining bio-inspired designs with stimuli-responsive materials, various intelligent soft robotic systems that demonstrate promising and exciting results have been developed. As one of the building materials for soft robotics, hydrogels are gaining increasing attention owing to their advantageous properties, such as ultra-tunable modulus, high compliance, varying stimuli-responsiveness, good biocompatibility, and high transparency. In this review article, we summarize the recent progress on plant-inspired soft robotics assembled by stimuli-responsive hydrogels with a particular focus on their actuation mechanisms, fabrication, and application. Meanwhile, some critical challenges and problems associated with current hydrogel-based soft robotics are briefly introduced, and possible solutions are proposed. We expect that this review would provide elementary tutorial guidelines to audiences who are interested in the study on nature-inspired soft robotics, especially hydrogel-based intelligent soft robotic systems.

scholarly journals A Dual-origami  Design Enables the Quasi-sequential Deployment and Bending  Motion of Soft Robots and Grippers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Woongbae Kim ◽  
Jaemin Eom ◽  
Kyujin Cho
Keyword(s):  
Fused Deposition Modeling ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Fused Deposition ◽  
Sealing Performance ◽  
Fluidic Actuators ◽  
Deposition Modeling ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
Design Guidance

Soft fluidic actuators produce continuous and life-like motions that are intrinsically safe, but current designs are not yet mature enough to enable large deployment with high force and low-cost fabrication methods. Here, soft fluidic actuators with two superimposed origami architectures are reported. Driven by a fluid input, the presented dual-origami soft actuators produce quasi-sequential deployment and bending motion that is guided by unsymmetric unfolding of low-stretchable origami components. The dominance between the deployment and bending can be shifted by varying the unfolding behavior, enabling pre-programming of the motion. The proposed origami-inspired soft actuators are directly fabricated by low-cost fused deposition modeling 3D-printing, and subjected to a heat treatment post-processing to enhance the fluid sealing performance. Finally, soft gripper applications are presented and they successfully demonstrate gripping tasks that each requires strength, delicacy, precision and dexterity. The dual-origami approach offers a design guidance for soft robots to embody grow-and-retract motion with a small initial form factor, promising for applications in next-generation soft robotic systems.

scholarly journals Recent Progress in the Development of Soft Robots

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Feifei Chen ◽  
Hongying Zhang ◽  
Tao Wang ◽  
Michael Yu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Recent Progress ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Soft Materials ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Soft Sensors ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
And Control

Soft robots, are mobile machines largely constructed from soft materials and have received much attention recently because they are opening new perspectives for robot design and control. This paper reports recent progress in the development of soft robots, more precisely, soft actuators and soft sensors. Soft actuators play an important role in functionalities of soft robots, and dielectric elastomers have shown great promise because of their considerable voltage-induced deformation. We developed soft inflated dielectric elastomer actuators and their networks, with the advantages to be highly deformable and continuously controllable. When it comes to control of soft robots, soft sensors are of great importance. We proposed a methodology to design, analyze, and fabricate a multi-axis soft sensor, made of dielectric elastomer, capable of detecting and decoupling compressive and shear loads with high sensitivity, linearity, and stability. 

scholarly journals Switching Control of Latex Balloon Expansion by using Switching Valve mediated with the Coanda Effect

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keita Kaneko ◽  
Kenjiro Takemura
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Difference ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
Coanda Effect ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Driving System ◽  
Switching Valve ◽  
Coandǎ Effect ◽  
Soft Actuators

Abstract Soft robots have advantages in terms of safety, softness, and compliance compared to traditional robotic systems. However, fluid-driven soft actuators, often employed in soft robots, require a corresponding number of bulky pressure supplies/valves to drive. Here, we consider a valve that can control the flow without mechanical moving parts for simplifying the driving system of soft actuators. We developed a system comprising a pump, a switching valve, and two latex balloons to demonstrate the feasibility of introducing a fluid valve into soft robotics. As the valve, which makes use of the Coanda effect, can switch the flow between two outlets when the pressure difference between the outlets is 3 kPa, we employed a latex balloon connected to each outlet. The system can control the expansion of each balloon by switching the flow from the pump. The experimental results proved that the system could actuate each balloon.

Novel organic, polymeric materials for electronics applications

2002 ◽  
Vol 722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ram W. Sabnis ◽  
Mary J. Spencer ◽  
Douglas J. Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Optical Density ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Polymeric Materials ◽  
Substantial Improvement ◽  
Polymeric Systems ◽  
Patterned Wafers ◽  
Visible Spectra ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Deep Ultraviolet ◽  
Deposited Films

AbstractNovel organic, polymeric materials and processes of depositing thin films on electronics substrates by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) have been developed and the lithographic behavior of photoresist coated over these CVD films at deep ultraviolet (DUV) wavelength has been evaluated. The specific monomers synthesized for DUV applications include [2.2](1,4)- naphthalenophane, [2.2](9,10)-anthracenophane and their derivatives which showed remarkable film uniformity on flat wafers and conformality over structured topography wafers, upon polymerization by CVD. The chemical, physical and optical properties of the deposited films have been characterized by measuring parameters such as thickness uniformity, solubility, conformality, adhesion to semiconductor substrates, ultraviolet-visible spectra, optical density, optical constants, defectivity, and resist compatibility. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photos of cross-sectioned patterned wafers showed verticle profiles with no footing, standing waves or undercut. Resist profiles down to 0.10 νm dense lines and 0.09 νm isolated lines were achieved in initial tests. CVD coatings generated 96-100% conformal films, which is a substantial improvement over commercial spin-on polymeric systems. The light absorbing layers have high optical density at 248 nm and are therefore capable materials for DUV lithography applications. CVD is a potentially useful technology to extend lithography for sub-0.15 νm devices. These films have potential applications in microelectronics, optoelectronics and photonics.

scholarly journals Dynamic Manipulation of THz Waves Enabled by Phase-Transition VO2 Thin Film

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Chang Lu ◽  
Qingjian Lu ◽  
Min Gao ◽  
Yuan Lin
Keyword(s):  
Optical Methods ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Device Structure ◽  
Current State ◽  
Insulator Metal Transition ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Fs Laser ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
Thz Applications ◽  
Thz Waves

The reversible and multi-stimuli responsive insulator-metal transition of VO2, which enables dynamic modulation over the terahertz (THz) regime, has attracted plenty of attention for its potential applications in versatile active THz devices. Moreover, the investigation into the growth mechanism of VO2 films has led to improved film processing, more capable modulation and enhanced device compatibility into diverse THz applications. THz devices with VO2 as the key components exhibit remarkable response to external stimuli, which is not only applicable in THz modulators but also in rewritable optical memories by virtue of the intrinsic hysteresis behaviour of VO2. Depending on the predesigned device structure, the insulator-metal transition (IMT) of VO2 component can be controlled through thermal, electrical or optical methods. Recent research has paid special attention to the ultrafast modulation phenomenon observed in the photoinduced IMT, enabled by an intense femtosecond laser (fs laser) which supports “quasi-simultaneous” IMT within 1 ps. This progress report reviews the current state of the field, focusing on the material nature that gives rise to the modulation-allowed IMT for THz applications. An overview is presented of numerous IMT stimuli approaches with special emphasis on the underlying physical mechanisms. Subsequently, active manipulation of THz waves through pure VO2 film and VO2 hybrid metamaterials is surveyed, highlighting that VO2 can provide active modulation for a wide variety of applications. Finally, the common characteristics and future development directions of VO2-based tuneable THz devices are discussed.

scholarly journals Mechanochemistry of fluoride solids: from mechanical activation to mechanically stimulated synthesis

ChemTexts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gudrun Scholz
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Activation ◽  
Mechanochemical Synthesis ◽  
Alkaline Earth ◽  
Earth Metal ◽  
Alkaline Earth Metal ◽  
Technical Equipment ◽  
Metal Compounds ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
The Given ◽  
Mechanochemical Reactions

Abstract This lecture text is focused on the comparatively young field of mechanochemistry of fluoride solids, considering both their mechanical activation and their mechanochemical synthesis. Beside a literature survey, the mechanochemical synthesis of binary fluorides MF2, MF3, of complex fluorides MMgF4, of solid solutions MaxMb1−xF2 or M1−xLnxF2+x (Ln: Y, Eu) and of fluorine-containing coordination polymers is presented. Owing to their interesting potential applications in the field of fluoride ion conductivity or luminescence properties when doped, most of the given examples are alkaline earth metal compounds. A short historical survey, remarks on peculiarities and consequences of mechanical activation as well as the necessary technical equipment for mechanochemical reactions precede the section. Graphic abstract

Study on non-uniform axial magnetic field induced deformation of soft cylindrical magneto-active actuator

Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaocheng Hu ◽  
Yimou Fu ◽  
Tonghao Wu ◽  
Shaoxing Qu
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Axial Magnetic Field ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Potential Applications

The magneto-active polymers (MAPs) can undergo rapid and noticeable deformation through the external wireless magnetic stimulation, offering a possibility to develop potential applications such as actuators, flexible micro-grippers, soft robots,...

scholarly journals Study of Physical and Degradation Properties of 3D-Printed Biodegradable, Photocurable Copolymers, PGSA-co-PEGDA and PGSA-co-PCLDA

Polymers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1263 ◽  
Author(s):  
June-Yo Chen ◽  
Joanne Hwang ◽  
Wai-Sam Ao-Ieong ◽  
Yung-Che Lin ◽  
Yi-Kong Hsieh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Polymeric Materials ◽  
Pure Substance ◽  
Digital Light Processing ◽  
Glycol Diacrylate ◽  
Young’S Moduli ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Degradation Properties

As acrylated polymers become more widely used in additive manufacturing, their potential applications toward biomedicine also raise the demand for biodegradable, photocurable polymeric materials. Polycaprolactone diacrylate (PCLDA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) are two popular choices of materials for stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing additive manufacturing (DLP-AM), and have been applied to many biomedical related research. However, both materials are known to degrade at a relatively low rate in vivo, limiting their applications in biomedical engineering. In this work, biodegradable, photocurable copolymers are introduced by copolymerizing PCLDA and/or PEGDA with poly(glycerol sebacate) acrylate (PGSA) to form a network polymer. Two main factors are discussed: the effect of degree of acrylation in PGSA and the weight ratio between the prepolymers toward the mechanical and degradation properties. It is found that by blending prepolymers with various degree of acrylation and at various weight ratios, the viscosity of the prepolymers remains stable, and are even more 3D printable than pure substances. The formation of various copolymers yielded a database with selectable Young’s moduli between 0.67–10.54 MPa, and the overall degradation rate was significantly higher than pure substance. In addition, it is shown that copolymers fabricated by DLP-AM fabrication presents higher mechanical strength than those fabricated via direct UV exposure. With the tunable mechanical and degradation properties, the photocurable, biodegradable copolymers are expected to enable a wider application of additive manufacturing toward tissue engineering.

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