Stiffness Preprogrammable Soft Bending Pneumatic Actuators for High-Efficient, Conformal Operation

Ke, Xingxing1; Jang, Jiajun1; Chai, Zhiping1; Yong, Haochen1; Zhu, Jiaqi1; Chen, Han1; Guo, Chuan Fei2; Ding, Han1; Wu, Zhigang1

2021-07-01

10.1089/soro.2020.0207

Soft Robotics   影响因子和分区

2169-5172

2169-5180

Soft pneumatic actuators (SPAs) are extensively investigated due to their simple control strategies for producing sophisticated motions. However, the motions or operations of homogeneous SPAs show obvious limitations in some varying curvature interaction scenarios because of the profile mismatch of homogeneous SPAs and specific interacted objects. Herein, a stiffness preprogrammable soft pneumatic actuator (SPSPA) is proposed by discretely presetting gradient geometrical or materials distributions. Through finite element analysis and experimental validation, a mathematical model of behavior prediction of SPSPA was built to relate the geometrical parameters/materials with its morphing behaviors, making it possible to reversely obtain designed parameters. This design strategy enables conformal and efficient interaction in some curvature varying scenarios. Specifically, higher effective contact area, perimeter utilization ratio, and conformal ability can be obtained while interacting with those inhomogeneous curvature objects, for example, more than 434.7% improvement in contact area rates and 12.5% enhancement in perimeter utilization ratios toward a typical equilateral triangle object. Further, a serial of SPSPAs that have conformal grasping/interactive capability, better contact sensing behaviors were demonstrated. For example, an SPSPA and an SPSP robot were demonstrated, which showed better kinetic, kinematic characterizations and sensing capability compared with the homogeneous one while coming across varying curvature objects. Moreover, underactuated finger rehabilitation SPSPAs were demonstrated with customized profiles and coupled joint motion. This customized scheme can be potentially used in those specific-purposed, single, and repetitive application scenarios where varying curvature, conformal and efficient interaction are needed.

stiffness preprogrammable structures soft bending actuators variable curvature actuators finger rehabilitation

SCI ; EI

英语

其他

National Natural Science Foundation of China["U1613204","L1924046"] ; National Key R&D program of China[2017YFB1303100]

Robotics

Robotics

WOS:000672910700001

MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC

20222512242197

Geometry ; Pneumatic actuators ; Pneumatic equipment ; Pneumatics

Pneumatics:632.3 ; Pneumatic Equipment and Machinery:632.4 ; Control Equipment:732.1 ; Mathematics:921 ; Materials Science:951

Web of Science

1.Huazhong Univ Sci & Technol, State Key Lab Digital Mfg Equipment & Technol, Wuhan 430074, Peoples R China
2.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Mat Sci & Engn, Shenzhen, Peoples R China

Ke, Xingxing,Jang, Jiajun,Chai, Zhiping,et al. Stiffness Preprogrammable Soft Bending Pneumatic Actuators for High-Efficient, Conformal Operation[J]. Soft Robotics,2021,9:613-624.

Ke, Xingxing.,Jang, Jiajun.,Chai, Zhiping.,Yong, Haochen.,Zhu, Jiaqi.,...&Wu, Zhigang.(2021).Stiffness Preprogrammable Soft Bending Pneumatic Actuators for High-Efficient, Conformal Operation.Soft Robotics,9,613-624.

Ke, Xingxing,et al."Stiffness Preprogrammable Soft Bending Pneumatic Actuators for High-Efficient, Conformal Operation".Soft Robotics 9(2021):613-624.