scholarly journals Flexible Gripper, Design and Control for Soft Robotics

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catalina Castillo-Rodriguez ◽  
Robinson Jimenez-Moreno
Keyword(s):  
Soft Robotics ◽  
And Control

Design and Control of Pneumatic Systems for Soft Robotics: A Simulation Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 5800-5807
Author(s):  
Matheus S. Xavier ◽  
Andrew J. Fleming ◽  
Yuen Kuan Yong
Keyword(s):  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Simulation Approach ◽  
And Control

scholarly journals Soft Robotics as an Enabling Technology for Agroforestry Practice and Research

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 6751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Girish Chowdhary ◽  
Mattia Gazzola ◽  
Girish Krishnan ◽  
Chinmay Soman ◽  
Sarah Lovell
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Enabling Technology ◽  
Robotic Arms ◽  
Profit Margins ◽  
Agricultural Robots ◽  
Agroforestry Practice ◽  
Human Labor ◽  
Design And Manufacture ◽  
And Control

The shortage of qualified human labor is a key challenge facing farmers, limiting profit margins and preventing the adoption of sustainable and diversified agroecosystems, such as agroforestry. New technologies in robotics could offer a solution to such limitations. Advances in soft arms and manipulators can enable agricultural robots that can have better reach and dexterity around plants than traditional robots equipped with hard industrial robotic arms. Soft robotic arms and manipulators can be far less expensive to manufacture and significantly lighter than their hard counterparts. Furthermore, they can be simpler to design and manufacture since they rely on fluidic pressurization as the primary mechanisms of operation. However, current soft robotic arms are difficult to design and control, slow to actuate, and have limited payloads. In this paper, we discuss the benefits and challenges of soft robotics technology and what it could mean for sustainable agriculture and agroforestry.

scholarly journals Neuromuscular actuation of biohybrid motile bots

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (40) ◽  
pp. 19841-19847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onur Aydin ◽  
Xiaotian Zhang ◽  
Sittinon Nuethong ◽  
Gelson J. Pagan-Diaz ◽  
Rashid Bashir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Tissue ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Neural Stimulation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Forward Locomotion ◽  
And Control ◽  
Drive Time

The integration of muscle cells with soft robotics in recent years has led to the development of biohybrid machines capable of untethered locomotion. A major frontier that currently remains unexplored is neuronal actuation and control of such muscle-powered biohybrid machines. As a step toward this goal, we present here a biohybrid swimmer driven by on-board neuromuscular units. The body of the swimmer consists of a free-standing soft scaffold, skeletal muscle tissue, and optogenetic stem cell-derived neural cluster containing motor neurons. Myoblasts embedded in extracellular matrix self-organize into a muscle tissue guided by the geometry of the scaffold, and the resulting muscle tissue is cocultured in situ with a neural cluster. Motor neurons then extend neurites selectively toward the muscle and innervate it, developing functional neuromuscular units. Based on this initial construct, we computationally designed, optimized, and implemented light-sensitive flagellar swimmers actuated by these neuromuscular units. Cyclic muscle contractions, induced by neural stimulation, drive time-irreversible flagellar dynamics, thereby providing thrust for untethered forward locomotion of the swimmer. Overall, this work demonstrates an example of a biohybrid robot implementing neuromuscular actuation and illustrates a path toward the forward design and control of neuron-enabled biohybrid machines.

scholarly journals A Novel Simple, Adaptive, and Versatile Soft-Robotic Compliant Two-Finger Gripper With an Inherently Gentle Touch

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrija Milojević ◽  
Sebastian Linß ◽  
Žarko Ćojbašić ◽  
Heikki Handroos
Keyword(s):  
Finite Elements ◽  
Compliant Mechanisms ◽  
Finite Elements Method ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Linear Actuator ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Fem Simulations ◽  
Force And Motion ◽  
High Level ◽  
And Control

Abstract In soft robotics, there is still a great need for a universal but simple gripper that realizes a high level of adaptability as well as a gentle touch to a wide variety of unknown objects of different size, shape, stiffness, and weight without the use of sensors or vision. Various, mostly complex grippers already exist based on certain actuation concepts. However, each solution has specific limitations, especially regarding gripping different soft and delicate objects. Therefore, this paper introduces a new approach to design a simple, adaptive, and versatile soft robotic two-finger gripper that is based on compliant mechanisms. More specifically, an inherently gentle touch is realized by utilizing an optimally synthesized mechanism with distributed compliance in combination with a conventional linear actuator. It is shown by finite elements method (FEM) simulations that the gripper realizes a high force and motion transmission at the same time. Furthermore, it is demonstrated by tests with a gripper prototype that reliable, safe, and fast grasping as well as manipulation are possible for a wide variety of objects. It is shown that beside regular and stiff objects also very challenging objects can be easily gripped, e.g., small, irregular, soft, and squeezable objects like fruits, berries, and vegetables. Moreover, it is confirmed that the developed compliant two-finger gripper can be used beneficially without sensors and control for differently sized and shaped objects with a comparable weight.

scholarly journals Moving toward Soft Robotics: A Decade Review of the Design of Hand Exoskeletons

Biomimetics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Talha Shahid ◽  
Darwin Gouwanda ◽  
Surya G. Nurzaman ◽  
Alpha A. Gopalai
Keyword(s):  
Soft Materials ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Robotic Hand ◽  
Force Transmission ◽  
Design Attributes ◽  
Timeline Analysis ◽  
Elastomeric Materials ◽  
Actuation Mode ◽  
Electrical Components ◽  
And Control

Soft robotics is a branch of robotics that deals with mechatronics and electromechanical systems primarily made of soft materials. This paper presents a summary of a chronicle study of various soft robotic hand exoskeletons, with different electroencephalography (EEG)- and electromyography (EMG)-based instrumentations and controls, for rehabilitation and assistance in activities of daily living. A total of 45 soft robotic hand exoskeletons are reviewed. The study follows two methodological frameworks: a systematic review and a chronological review of the exoskeletons. The first approach summarizes the designs of different soft robotic hand exoskeletons based on their mechanical, electrical and functional attributes, including the degree of freedom, number of fingers, force transmission, actuation mode and control strategy. The second approach discusses the technological trend of soft robotic hand exoskeletons in the past decade. The timeline analysis demonstrates the transformation of the exoskeletons from rigid ferrous materials to soft elastomeric materials. It uncovers recent research, development and integration of their mechanical and electrical components. It also approximates the future of the soft robotic hand exoskeletons and some of their crucial design attributes.

scholarly journals Underwater Soft Robotics: A Review of Bioinspiration in Design, Actuation, Modeling, and Control

Micromachines ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 110
Author(s):  
Samuel M. Youssef ◽  
MennaAllah Soliman ◽  
Mahmood A. Saleh ◽  
Mostafa A. Mousa ◽  
Mahmoud Elsamanty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Systems ◽  
Complex Tasks ◽  
Modeling And Control ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
And Control ◽  
Similar Complex ◽  
Underwater Application

Nature and biological creatures are some of the main sources of inspiration for humans. Engineers have aspired to emulate these natural systems. As rigid systems become increasingly limited in their capabilities to perform complex tasks and adapt to their environment like living creatures, the need for soft systems has become more prominent due to the similar complex, compliant, and flexible characteristics they share with intelligent natural systems. This review provides an overview of the recent developments in the soft robotics field, with a focus on the underwater application frontier.

scholarly journals Performance Metrics for Fluidic Soft Robot Rotational Actuators

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Levi Rupert ◽  
Benjamin O. Saunders ◽  
Marc D. Killpack
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Robot ◽  
Uncertain Environments ◽  
Comprehensive List ◽  
Design Integration ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Control

The field of soft robotics is continuing to grow as more researchers see the potential for robots that can safely interact in unmodeled, unstructured, and uncertain environments. However, in order for the design, integration, and control of soft robotic actuators to develop into a full engineering methodology, a set of metrics and standards need to be established. This paper attempts to lay the groundwork for that process by proposing six soft robot actuator metrics that can be used to evaluate and compare characteristics and performance of soft robot actuators. Data from eight different soft robot rotational actuators (five distinct designs) were used to evaluate these soft robot actuator metrics and show their utility. Additionally we provide a simple case study as an example of how these metrics can be used to evaluate soft robot actuators for a designated task. While this paper does not claim to present a comprehensive list of all possible soft robot actuator metrics, the metrics presented can 1) be used to initiate the development and comparison of soft robot actuators in an engineering framework and 2) start a broader discussion of which metrics should be standardized in future soft robot actuator research.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document