Modular soft pneumatic actuator system design for compliance matching

The future of robotics is personal. Never before has technology been as pervasive as it is today, with advanced mobile electronics hardware and multi-level network connectivity pushing âsmartâ devices deeper into our daily lives through home automation systems, virtual assistants, and wearable activity monitoring. As the suite of personal technology around us continues to grow in this way, augmenting and offloading the burden of routine activities of daily living, the notion that this trend will extend to robotics seems inevitable. Transitioning robots from their current principal domain of industrial factory settings to domestic, workplace, or public environments is not simply a matter of relocation or reprogramming, however. The key differences between âtraditionalâ types of robots and those which would best serve personal, proximal, human interactive applications demand a new approach to their design. Chief among these are requirements for safety, adaptability, reliability, reconfigurability, and to a more practical extent, usability. These properties frame the context and objectives of my thesis work, which seeks to provide solutions and answers to not only how these features might be achieved in personal robotic systems, but as well what benefits they can afford. I approach the investigation of these questions from a perspective of compliance matching of hardware systems to their applications, by providing methods to achieve mechanical attributes complimentary to their environment and end-use. These features are fundamental to the burgeoning field of Soft Robotics, wherein flexible, compliant materials are used as the basis for the structure, actuation, sensing, and control of complete robotic systems. Combined with pressurized air as a power source, soft pneumatic actuator (SPA) based systems offers new and novel methods of exploiting the intrinsic compliance of soft material components in robotic systems. While this strategy seems to answer many of the needs for human-safe robotic applications, it also brings new questions and challenges: What are the needs and applications personal robots may best serve? Are soft pneumatic actuators capable of these tasks, or âusefulâ work output and performance? How can SPA based systems be applied to provide complex functionality needed for operation in diverse, real-world environments? What are the theoretical and practical challenges in implementing scalable, multiple degrees of freedom systems, and how can they be overcome? I present solutions to these problems in my thesis work, elucidated through scientific design, testing and evaluation of robotic prototypes which leverage and demonstrate three key features: 1) Intrinsic compliance: provided by passive elastic and flexible component material properties, 2) Extrinsic compliance: rendered through high number of independent, controllable degrees of freedom, and 3) Complementary design: exhibited by modular, plug and play architectures which combine both attributes to achieve compliant systems. Through these core projects and others listed below I have been engaged in soft robotic technology, its application, and solutions to the challenges which are critical to providing a path forward within the soft robotics field, as well as for the future of personal robotics as a whole toward creating a better society

Hybrid fluidic actuation for a foam-based soft actuator

Actuation means for soft robotic structures are manifold: despite actuation mechanisms such as tendon-driven manipulators or shape memory alloys, the majority of soft robotic actuators are fluidically actuated - either purely by positive or negative air pressure or by hydraulic actuation only. This paper presents the novel idea of employing hybrid fluidic - hydraulic and pneumatic - actuation for soft robotic systems. The concept and design of the hybrid actuation system as well as the fabrication of the soft actuator are presented: Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) foam is embedded inside a casted, reinforced silicone chamber. A hydraulic and pneumatic robotic syringe pump are connected to the base and top of the soft actuator. We found that a higher percentage of hydraulics resulted in a higher output force. Hydraulic actuation further is able to change displacements at a higher rate compared to pneumatic actuation. Changing between Hydraulic:Pneumatic (HP) ratios shows how stiffness properties of a soft actuator can be varied

Volume 3 – Conference

We are pleased to present the conference proceedings for the 12th edition of the International Fluid Power Conference (IFK). The IFK is one of the world’s most significant scientific conferences on fluid power control technology and systems. It offers a common platform for the presentation and discussion of trends and innovations to manufacturers, users and scientists. The Chair of Fluid-Mechatronic Systems at the TU Dresden is organizing and hosting the IFK for the sixth time. Supporting hosts are the Fluid Power Association of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), Dresdner Verein zur Förderung der Fluidtechnik e. V. (DVF) and GWT-TUD GmbH. The organization and the conference location alternates every two years between the Chair of Fluid-Mechatronic Systems in Dresden and the Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Systems in Aachen. The symposium on the first day is dedicated to presentations focused on methodology and fundamental research. The two following conference days offer a wide variety of application and technology orientated papers about the latest state of the art in fluid power. It is this combination that makes the IFK a unique and excellent forum for the exchange of academic research and industrial application experience. A simultaneously ongoing exhibition offers the possibility to get product information and to have individual talks with manufacturers. The theme of the 12th IFK is “Fluid Power – Future Technology”, covering topics that enable the development of 5G-ready, cost-efficient and demand-driven structures, as well as individual decentralized drives. Another topic is the real-time data exchange that allows the application of numerous predictive maintenance strategies, which will significantly increase the availability of fluid power systems and their elements and ensure their improved lifetime performance. We create an atmosphere for casual exchange by offering a vast frame and cultural program. This includes a get-together, a conference banquet, laboratory festivities and some physical activities such as jogging in Dresden’s old town.:Group 8: Pneumatics Group 9 | 11: Mobile applications Group 10: Special domains Group 12: Novel system architectures Group 13 | 15: Actuators & sensors Group 14: Safety & reliabilit

Design, sensing, and control of soft multi-axis fluidic actuators for robotic manipulation

The emergence of actuators with controllable compliance, such as soft fluidic actuators, has been indispensable for complex robotic manipulation and human-robot interaction research. In this work, we develop novel modular soft robotic pneumatic actuator arrays capable of carrying out complex motions and manipulation tasks. First, the design and manufacturing of a soft bi-directional pneumatic bellows actuator module, which can contract in vacuum and extend in positive pressure, is outlined. To sense motions and achieve closed loop control of orientation and actuator array length, inertial measurement units and custom soft wire potentiometers are used. Then, three bi-directional pneumatic bellows actuators are combined with sensors into modular arrays that can extend, contract, bend, and twist depending on the amount of pressure applied to each module. These arrays can be stacked in series to achieve even more complex motions and to complete unique manipulation tasks. To showcase the versatility of the soft robotic manipulator, several peripheral mechanisms are also developed including a particle jamming gripper that is used to grip and unscrew items, a center contraction module to promote buckling for twisting, and contraction-based foam plates for gripping. For this system, simulation environments, kinematic models, and multi-actuator multi-axis control strategies are developed. Demonstrations are shown to illustrate the manipulation capabilities of this system. Additionally, the use of magnetorheological fluid for soft hydraulic actuation is also explored. For these soft actuation mechanisms, the use of magnetorheological fluids, liquid metal coils, compliant magnetic composites, and silicone flexures are tested. Magnetic field models and fluid scaling laws are outlined. Finally, these actuators are used to demonstrate the operation of compliant bistable valves, soft multi-fingered PneuNets, and a new force-amplified magnetorheological fluid gripper.M.S

Proceedings of the 40th Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium

The Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium (AMS) provides a unique forum for those active in the design, production and use of aerospace mechanisms. A major focus is the reporting of problems and solutions associated with the development and flight certification of new mechanisms. Organized by the Mechanisms Education Association, responsibility for hosting the AMS is shared by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC). Now in its 40th symposium, the AMS continues to be well attended, attracting participants from both the U.S. and abroad. The 40th AMS, hosted by the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cocoa Beach, Florida, was held May 12, 13 and 14, 2010. During these three days, 38 papers were presented. Topics included gimbals and positioning mechanisms, CubeSats, actuators, Mars rovers, and Space Station mechanisms. Hardware displays during the supplier exhibit gave attendees an opportunity to meet with developers of current and future mechanism components. The use of trade names of manufacturers in this publication does not constitute an official endorsement of such products or manufacturers, either expressed or implied, by the National Aeronautics and Space Administratio

Design and Analysis of Soft Actuator with Enhanced Stiffness with Granular Jamming

The field of soft robotics has been increasing popularity and importance in last decade with its groundbreaking applications in the field of delicate food handling industry and rehabilitation of limbs and fingers of stroke affected patients. The area of soft robotics seeks to improve robot safety, allowing them to function in circumstances where standard robots cannot. This research is focused on pneumatically actuated soft robots as they are efficient, easily controlled, affordable, and well researched. These robots consist of one or more soft actuators, made of silicone elastomers with low material hardness. Low hardness silicone actuators are structurally weak and cannot generate functional forces, which can be rectified by simply increasing the hardness of the material, resulting in compromising softness of the robot. This research attempts to provide a solution to increase structural stability and force output of soft actuator without compromising softness of the material. These were achieved in two ways; one, by improving the cross-sectional profile of the actuator, with an addition of vacuum functionality which increases degree of freedom by one. Two, by attaching a granular jamming component to the actuator, which can change its stiffness actively based on the vacuum applied to it. In this research, the soft actuator was made of Eco-Flex 00-30 silicone and ground coffee was used as granular material for jamming. The actuator was designed on CATIA, and simulation analysis was carried out in ANSYS. A simulation study is conducted to optimize the design parameters to improve bending angle. The jamming components are attached on either side of the actuator and filled with ground coffee which provides controlled stiffness. The actuator was fabricated by molding, all molds are 3D printed with polylactic acid. The actuator was powered by an electric air pump. The actuator is evaluated for bending angle and blocking force at the tip. 280% more bending was achieved under vacuum when compared to conventional design. The blocking force was increased by 270% upon implementing jamming component. The force output obtained per unit pressure applied when compared to present literature increased by 4 times. Lastly, these methods can be implemented to improve the performance of any soft pneumatic actuators

Application of precision engineering for nanometre focussing of hard X-rays in synchrotron beam lines

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Many modern synchrotron beamlines are able to focus X-rays to a few microns in size. Although the technology to achieve this is well established, performing routine experiments with such beams is still time consuming and requires careful set up. Furthermore there is a need to be able to carry out experiments using hard X-ray beams with even smaller beams of between 100nm and 10nm. There are focussing optics that are able to do this but integrating these optics into a stable and a usable experimental set up are challenging. Experiments can often take some hours and any change in position of the beam on the sample will adversely affect the quality of the results. Experiments will often require scanning of the beam across the sample and so mechanisms suitable for high resolution but stable scanning are required. Performing routine experiments with nanometre sized beams requires mechanical systems to be able to position the sample, focussing optics, detectors and diagnostics with significantly higher levels of stability and motion resolution than is required from so called micro focus beam lines. This dissertation critically reviews precision engineering and associated technologies that are relevant for building nano focus beamlines, and the following key issues are explored: • Long term position stability due to thermal effects • Short term position stability due to vibration • Position motion with nanometre incremental motion • Results of some tests are presented and recommendations given. Some test results are presented and guidance on designing nano focus beamlines presented.Diamond Light Sourc

NASA Tech Briefs Index, 1977, volume 2, numbers 1-4

Announcements of new technology derived from the research and development activities of NASA are presented. Abstracts, and indexes for subject, personal author, originating center, and Tech Brief number are presented for 1977

Design and Fabrication of Soft 3D Printed Actuators: Expanding Soft Robotics Applications

Soft pneumatic actuators are ideal for soft robotic applications due to their innate compliance and high power-weight ratios. Presently, the majority of soft pneumatic actuators are used to create bending motions, with very few able to produce significant linear movements. Fewer can actively produce strains in multiple directions. The further development of these actuators is limited by their fabrication methods, specifically the lack of suitable stretchable materials for 3D printing. In this thesis, a new highly elastic resin for digital light projection 3D printers, designated ElastAMBER, is developed and evaluated, which shows improvements over previously synthesised elastic resins. It is prepared from a di-functional polyether urethane acrylate oligomer and a blend of two different diluent monomers. ElastAMBER exhibits a viscosity of 1000 mPa.s at 40 °C, allowing easy printing at near room temperatures. The 3D-printed components present an elastomeric behaviour with a maximum extension ratio of 4.02 ± 0.06, an ultimate tensile strength of (1.23 ± 0.09) MPa, low hysteresis, and negligible viscoelastic relaxation

Advances of Italian Machine Design

This 2028 Special Issue presents recent developments and achievements in the field of Mechanism and Machine Science coming from the Italian community with international collaborations and ranging from theoretical contributions to experimental and practical applications. It contains selected contributions that were accepted for presentation at the Second International Conference of IFToMM Italy, IFIT2018, that has been held in Cassino on 29 and 30 November 2018. This IFIT conference is the second event of a series that was established in 2016 by IFToMM Italy in Vicenza. IFIT was established to bring together researchers, industry professionals and students, from the Italian and the international community in an intimate, collegial and stimulating environment