Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T15:42:07.254Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A herringbone soft pneu-net actuator for enhanced conformal gripping

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2021

Xinjie Zhang Open the ORCID record for Xinjie Zhang [Opens in a new window]  and
Ayobami Elisha Oseyemi
Xinjie Zhang*
Affiliation:
College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou, 213022, China School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China
Ayobami Elisha Oseyemi
Affiliation:
College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou, 213022, China
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Advances in material science in recent years have had such a tremendous impact on the field of soft robotics that has fostered the development of many bio-inspired devices. One such device, which has been subject to extensive study in recent times, is soft pneumatic-network (pneu-net) actuators (SPAs). In this study, we present a new SPA structure whose chamber configuration mimics the fish bone (herringbone) structure to facilitate simultaneous bending deformations in both longitudinal and transverse directions. Such as cannot be obtained from the regular pneu-net structure – which bends only lengthwise, the coupled bending curvatures allow for gripping with maximized contact area, a property which facilitates firmness, security, and stability in gripping. Using the corresponding chamber inclination angle of the configuration as key parameter, the combined transverse and longitudinal deformation feature is studied through finite element simulation as well as experiments. Also, the functional behavior of the actuator/gripper prototypes is experimentally investigated using a series of approaches including blocked (or tip) force test, grip strength test, and stability (or sustained grasping force) test. Furthermore, the viability of the said conformal gripping characteristic is demonstrated by subjecting the structure to a couple of gripping tests. This utility-enhancing design approach could really guide into the development of more sophisticated application-custom soft robotic capabilities.

Keywords

soft roboticspneumatic actuatorsfinite element analysissoft grippersherringbone
Type
Research Article
Information
Robotica , Volume 40 , Issue 5 , May 2022 , pp. 1345 - 1360
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Lin, H. T., Leisk, G. G. and Trimmer, B., “GoQBot: A caterpillar-inspired soft-bodied rolling robot,” Bioinspir. Biomim. 6(2), 026007 (2011).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Onal, C. D. and Rus, D., “A Modular Approach to Soft Robots,” 2012 4th IEEE RAS & EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob), Rome, Italy (IEEE, 2012), pp. 1038–1045.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laschi, C., Mazzolai, B., Mattoli, V., Cianchetti, M. and Dario, P., “Design of a biomimetic robotic octopus arm,” Bioinspir. Biomim. 4(1), 015006 (2009).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marchese, A. D., Onal, C. D. and Rus, D., “Autonomous soft robotic fish capable of escape maneuvers using fluidic elastomer actuators,” Soft Robot. 1(1), 75–87 (2014).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salomon, O. and Wolf, A., “Inclined links hyper-redundant elephant trunk-like robot,” J. Mech. Robot 4(4), 045001 (2012).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bao, G., Chen, L., Zhang, Y., Cai, S., Xu, F., Yang, Q. and Zhang, L., “Trunk-like soft actuator: Design, modeling, and experiments,” Robotica 38(4), 732–746 (2019).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tang, Z., Lu, J., Wang, Z., Ma, G., Chen, W. and Feng, H., “Development of a new multi-cavity pneumatic-driven earthworm-like soft robot,” Robotica 38(12), 2290–2304 (2020).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seok, S., Onal, C. D., Cho, K.-J., Wood, R. J., Rus, D. and Kim, S., “Meshworm: A peristaltic soft robot with antagonistic nickel titanium coil actuators,” IEEE ASME Trans. Mechatron. 18(5), 1485–1497 (2013).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitesides, G. M., “Soft robotics,” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 57(16), 4258–4273 (2018).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Palleau, E., Morales, D., Dickey, M. D. and Velev, O. D., “Reversible patterning and actuation of hydrogels by electrically assisted ionoprinting,” Nat. Commun. 4, 2257 (2013).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shepherd, R. F., Stokes, A. A., Freake, J., Barber, J., Snyder, P. W., Mazzeo, A. D., Cademartiri, L., Morin, S. A. and Whitesides, G. M., “Using explosions to power a soft robot,” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 52(10), 2892–2896 (2013).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carpi, F., Bauer, S. and De Rossi, D., “Stretching dielectric elastomer performance,” 330(6012), 1759–1761 (2010).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keplinger, C., Kaltenbrunner, M., Arnold, N. and Bauer, S., “Rontgen’s electrode-free elastomer actuators without electromechanical pull-in instability,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 107(10), 4505–4510 (2010).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chou, C.-P. and Hannaford, B. J. I. T. R. A., “Measurement and modeling of McKibben pneumatic artificial muscles,” IEEE Trans Rob Autom 12, 90–102 (1996).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Amend, J., Cheng, N., Fakhouri, S. and Culley, B., “Soft robotics commercialization: Jamming Grippers from research to product,” Soft Robot. 3(4), 213–222 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ikuta, K., Ichikawa, H. and Suzuki, K., “Safety-active catheter with multiple-segments driven by micro-hydraulic actuators,” Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention-Part I (2002), pp. 182–191.Google Scholar
Katzschmann, R., Marchese, A. and Rus, D., “Hydraulic autonomous soft robotic fish for 3D swimming,” Exp. Robot., Springer Tracts Adv. Robot. 109, 405–420 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huu Nguyen, C., Alici, G. and Mutlu, R., “A compliant translational mechanism based on dielectric elastomer actuators,” J. Mech. Design. 136(6), 061009 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGovern, S., Alici, G., Truong, V.-T. and Spinks, G., “Finding NEMO (novel electromaterial muscle oscillator): A polypyrrole powered robotic fish with real-time wireless speed and directional control,” Smart Mater. Struct. 18(9), 095009 (2009).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ilievski, F., Mazzeo, A. D., Shepherd, R. F., Chen, X. and Whitesides, G. M., “Soft robotics for chemists,” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 128(8), 1930–1935 (2011).Google Scholar
Mosadegh, B., Polygerinos, P., Keplinger, C., Wennstedt, S., Shepherd, R. F., Gupta, U., Shim, J., Bertoldi, K., Walsh, C. J. and Whitesides,”, G. M. Pneumatic networks for soft robotics that actuate rapidly,” Adv. Funct. Mater. 24(15), 2163–2170 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hwang, Y., Paydar, O. H. and Candler, R. N., “Pneumatic microfinger with balloon fins for linear motion using 3D printed molds,” Sens. Actuator A Phys. 234, 65–71 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Polygerinos, P., Lyne, S., Wang, Z., Nicolini, L. F., Mosadegh, B., Whitesides, G. M. and Walsh, C. J., “Towards a soft pneumatic glove for hand rehabilitation,” 2013 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Tokyo, Japan (IEEE, 2013), pp. 1512–1517.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deimel, R. and Brock, O., “A novel type of compliant and underactuated robotic hand for dexterous grasping,” Int. J. Robot. Autom. 35(1–3), 161–185 (2015).Google Scholar
FraŚ, J., MaciaŚ, M., CzubaczyŃski, F., SaŁek, P. and GŁÓwka, J., “Soft flexible gripper design, characterization and application,” Adv. Intell. Syst. Comput., 368–377 (2016).Google Scholar
Yap, H. K., Ng, H. Y. and Yeow, C.-H., “High-force soft printable pneumatics for soft robotic applications,” Soft Robot. 3(3), 144–158 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bicchi, A., “Hands for dexterous manipulation and robust grasping: A difficult road toward simplicity,” IEEE Trans. Rob. Autom. 16(6), 652–662 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hu, W. and Alici, G., “Bioinspired three-dimensional-printed helical soft pneumatic actuators and their characterization,” Soft Robot. 7(3), 267–282 (2019).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Homberg, B. S., Katzschmann, R. K., Dogar, M. R. and Rus, D., “Haptic identification of objects using a modular soft robotic gripper,” 2015 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Hamburg, Germany (IEEE, 2015), pp. 1698–1705.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rothemund, P., Ainla, A., Belding, L., Preston, D. J., Kurihara, S., Suo, Z. and Whitesides, G. M., “A soft, bistable valve for autonomous control of soft actuators,” Sci. Robot. 3(16), eaar7986 (2018).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, T., Ge, L. and Gu, G., “Programmable design of soft pneu-net actuators with oblique chambers can generate coupled bending and twisting motions,” Sens. Actuator A Phys. 271, 131–138 (2018).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guo, L., Li, K., Cheng, G., Zhang, Z., Xu, C. and Ding, J., “Design and experiments of pneumatic soft actuators,” Robotica, 1–10 (2021).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wakimoto, S., Suzumori, K. and Ogura, K., “Miniature pneumatic curling rubber actuator generating bidirectional motion with one air-supply tube,” Adv. Robot. 25(9–10), 1311–1330 (2012).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, Y., Zhang, Q., Chen, X. and Chen, H., “An optimum design method of Pneu-Net actuators for trajectory matching utilizing a bending model and GA,” Math. Probl. Eng. 2019, 1–12 (2019).Google Scholar
Adam Bilodeau, R., White, E. L. and Kramer, R. K., “Monolithic fabrication of sensors and actuators in a soft robotic gripper,” 2015 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Hamburg, Germany (IEEE, 2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Soft robotics toolkit: Pneu-nets Fabricaton, 2021, Available at https://softroboticstoolkit.com/book/pneunets-fabrication. (Accessed Nov 5, 2020).Google Scholar
Hao, Y., Wang, T., Ren, Z., Gong, Z., Wang, H., Yang, X., Guan, S. and Wen, L., “Modeling and experiments of a soft robotic gripper in amphibious environments,” Int. J. Adv. Robot. Syst. 14(3), 172988141770714 (2017).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Polygerinos, P., Wang, Z., Overvelde, J. T. B., Galloway, K. C., Wood, R. J., Bertoldi, K. and Walsh, C. J., “Modeling of soft fiber-reinforced bending actuators,” IEEE Trans. Robot. 31(3), 778–789 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Antonelli, M. G., Beomonte Zobel, P., Durante, F. and Raparelli, T., “Numerical modelling and experimental validation of a McKibben pneumatic muscle actuator,” Intell. Mater. Syst. Struct. 28(19), 2737–2748 (2017).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ogden, R. W., “Large deformation isotropic elasticity – On the correlation of theory and experiment for incompressible rubberlike solids,” Proc. Math. Phys. Eng. Sci. 326(1567), 565–584 (1997).Google Scholar
Wang, Z., Or, K. and Hirai, S., “A dual-mode soft gripper for food packaging,” Rob. Auton. Syst. 125, 103427 (2020).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smooth-on Dragon skin series, 2021, Available at https://www.smooth-on.com/tb/files/DRAGON_SKIN_SERIES_TB.pdf. (Accessed June 13, 2021).Google Scholar
Pruett, J. P., Clement, D. J. and Carnes, D. L., “Cyclic fatigue testing of nickel-titanium endodontic instruments,” J. Endod. 23(2), 77–85 (1997).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Zhang and Oseyemi supplementary material

Zhang and Oseyemi supplementary material 1

Download Zhang and Oseyemi supplementary material(Video)
Video 5.5 MB

Zhang and Oseyemi supplementary material

Zhang and Oseyemi supplementary material 2

Download Zhang and Oseyemi supplementary material(Video)
Video 3.4 MB