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 Implementation of Soft-Lithography Techniques for Fabrication of Bio-Inspired Multi-Layer Dielectric Elastomer Actuators with Interdigitated Mechanically Compliant Electrodes

Actuators ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mert Corbaci ◽  
Wayne Walter ◽  
Kathleen Lamkin-Kennard
Keyword(s):  
Soft Lithography ◽  
Skeletal Muscles ◽  
Actuation Voltage ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
Humanoid Robots ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Industrial Robots ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Soft Actuators

Advancements in software engineering have enabled the robotics industry to transition from the use of giant industrial robots to more friendly humanoid robots. Soft robotics is one of the key elements needed to advance the transition process by providing a safer way for robots to interact with the environment. Electroactive polymers (EAPs) are one of the best candidate materials for the next generation of soft robotic actuators and artificial muscles. Lightweight dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) provide optimal properties such as high elasticity, rapid response rates, mechanical robustness and compliance. However, for DEAs to become widely used as artificial muscles or soft actuators, there are current limitations, such as high actuation voltage requirements, control of actuation direction, and scaling, that need to be addressed. The authors’ approach to overcome the drawbacks of conventional DEAs is inspired by the natural skeletal muscles. Instead of fabricating a large DEA device, smaller sub-units can be fabricated and bundled together to form larger actuators, similar to the way myofibrils form myocytes in skeletal muscles. The current study presents a novel fabrication approach, utilizing soft lithography and other microfabrication techniques, to allow fabrication of multilayer stacked DEA structures, composed of hundreds of micro-sized DEA units.

Soft robots based on dielectric elastomer actuators: a review

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 103002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ujjaval Gupta ◽  
Lei Qin ◽  
Yuzhe Wang ◽  
Hareesh Godaba ◽  
Jian Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

scholarly journals Dielectric Elastomer Actuator for Soft Robotics Applications and Challenges

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung-Hwan Youn ◽  
Seung Mo Jeong ◽  
Geonwoo Hwang ◽  
Hyunwoo Kim ◽  
Kyujin Hyeon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Soft Robot ◽  
Optical Components ◽  
Dielectric Characteristics ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Working Principle ◽  
Soft Actuators

This paper reviews state-of-the-art dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) and their future perspectives as soft actuators which have recently been considered as a key power generation component for soft robots. This paper begins with the introduction of the working principle of the dielectric elastomer actuators. Because the operation of DEA includes the physics of both mechanical viscoelastic properties and dielectric characteristics, we describe theoretical modeling methods for the DEA before introducing applications. In addition, the design of artificial muscles based on DEA is also introduced. This paper reviews four popular subjects for the application of DEA: soft robot hand, locomotion robots, wearable devices, and tunable optical components. Other potential applications and challenging issues are described in the conclusion.

scholarly journals Dielectric Elastomer Grippers

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 33-36
Author(s):  
Mills Patel ◽  
Rudrax Khamar ◽  
Akshat Shah ◽  
Tej shah ◽  
Bhavik Soneji
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Power Generation ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Artificial Muscle ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Working Principle ◽  
Soft Actuators

This paper appraisals state-of-the-art dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) and their forthcoming standpoints as soft actuators which have freshly been considered as a crucial power generation module for soft robots. DEs behave as yielding capacitors, expanding in area and attenuation in thickness when a voltage is applied. The paper initiates with the explanation of working principle of dielectric elastomer grippers. Here the operation of DEAs include both physics and mechanical properties with its characteristics, we have describe methods for modelling and its introductory application. In inclusion, the artificial muscle based on DEA concept is also formally presented. This paper also elaborates DEAs popular application such as- Soft Robotics, Robotics grippers and artificial muscles.

scholarly journals Review of machine learning methods in soft robotics

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0246102
Author(s):  
Daekyum Kim ◽  
Sang-Hun Kim ◽  
Taekyoung Kim ◽  
Brian Byunghyun Kang ◽  
Minhyuk Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Soft Materials ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Learning Methods ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Machine Learning Methods ◽  
Wearable Robots ◽  
Soft Actuators

Soft robots have been extensively researched due to their flexible, deformable, and adaptive characteristics. However, compared to rigid robots, soft robots have issues in modeling, calibration, and control in that the innate characteristics of the soft materials can cause complex behaviors due to non-linearity and hysteresis. To overcome these limitations, recent studies have applied various approaches based on machine learning. This paper presents existing machine learning techniques in the soft robotic fields and categorizes the implementation of machine learning approaches in different soft robotic applications, which include soft sensors, soft actuators, and applications such as soft wearable robots. An analysis of the trends of different machine learning approaches with respect to different types of soft robot applications is presented; in addition to the current limitations in the research field, followed by a summary of the existing machine learning methods for soft robots.

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.

A Low-Cost Soft Coiled Sensor for Soft Robots

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianguo Zhao ◽  
Ali Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Optical Fibers ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Soft Materials ◽  
Soft Sensor ◽  
Soft Sensors ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Conductive Liquid ◽  
Loop Control ◽  
Sewing Threads

Soft robots made from soft materials can closely emulate biological system using simple soft mechanical structures. Compared with traditional rigid-link robots, they are safe to work with humans and can adapt to confined environments. As a result, they are widely used for various robotic locomotions and manipulations. Nevertheless, for soft robots, being able to sense its state to enable closed-loop control using soft sensors remains a challenge. Existing sensors include external sensors such as camera systems, electromagnetic tracking systems, and internal sensors such as optical fibers, conductive liquid, and carbon black filled strips. In this paper, we investigate a new soft sensor made from low-cost conductive nylon sewing threads. By continuously inserting twists into a thread under some weight, coils can be formed to enable a coiled soft sensor. The resistance of the sensor varies with the change of length. The fabrication and experiments for this new coiled sensor is described in this paper. Embedding this sensor to a 3D printed soft manipulator demonstrates the sensing capability. Compared to existing soft sensors, the coiled sensor is low-cost, easy to fabricate, and can also be used as an actuator. It can be embedded to any soft robot to measure the deformation for closed-loop feedback control.

A novel flying robot system driven by dielectric elastomer balloon actuators

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 2522-2527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Zhang ◽  
Yifan Zhou ◽  
Min Dai ◽  
Zhisheng Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Breakdown ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Low Noise ◽  
Modeling And Control ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
Controllable Motion ◽  
And Control ◽  
Flying Robot

Soft unmanned flying objects have been developed to improve communication in areas where natural disasters occur. This article investigates the design, modeling, and control of an unmanned flying robot, different from classic flying robots which are based on electric motors, robots driven by soft actuators that have advantages of low noise, deformable property, and fast response. Untethered system based on dielectric elastomer actuators can be controlled to move, theory and experiments are presented to show the movement accompanied by large voltage-triggered deformation. We connect a dielectric elastomer balloon-shaped shell to an inelastic chamber which has larger volume and apply voltage to trigger one-layer or two-layer VHB membrane without causing electrical breakdown. The results show that buoyancy force in the air for helium balloon system is inversely proportional to the altitude when the flight system goes up. Compared with single-layer balloon shell, we also generalize the concept of multi-layer soft actuators that offer larger deformation. The larger the original volume of the untethered system is, the more mass can be controlled at the actuated state. Voltage-triggered controllable motion is appreciating with our designed structure.

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