5 research outputs found
A Retrofit Sensing Strategy for Soft Fluidic Robots
Soft robots are intrinsically capable of adapting to different environments
by changing their shape in response to interaction forces with the environment.
However, sensing and feedback are still required for higher level decisions and
autonomy. Most sensing technologies developed for soft robots involve the
integration of separate sensing elements in soft actuators, which presents a
considerable challenge for both the fabrication and robustness of soft robots
due to the interface between hard and soft components and the complexity of the
assembly. To circumvent this, here we present a versatile sensing strategy that
can be retrofitted to existing soft fluidic devices without the need for design
changes. We achieve this by measuring the fluidic input that is required to
activate a soft actuator and relating this input to its deformed state during
interaction with the environment. We demonstrate the versatility of our sensing
strategy by tactile sensing of the size, shape, surface roughness and stiffness
of objects. Moreover, we demonstrate our approach by retrofitting it to a range
of existing pneumatic soft actuators and grippers powered by positive and
negative pressure. Finally, we show the robustness of our fluidic sensing
strategy in closed-loop control of a soft gripper for practical applications
such as sorting and fruit picking. Based on these results, we conclude that as
long as the interaction of the actuator with the environment results in a shape
change of the interval volume, soft fluidic actuators require no embedded
sensors and design modifications to implement sensing. We believe that the
relative simplicity, versatility, broad applicability and robustness of our
sensing strategy will catalyze new functionalities in soft interactive devices
and systems, thereby accelerating the use of soft robotics in real world
applications
A Retrofit Sensing Strategy for Soft Fluidic Robots
<p>This replication package contains the raw data and processing codes for all the figures in the manuscript titled A Retrofit Sensing Strategy for Soft Fluidic Robots.</p>
A retrofit sensing strategy for soft fluidic robots
Soft robots are intrinsically capable of adapting to different environments by changing their shape in response to interaction forces. However, sensory feedback is still required for higher level decisions. Most sensing technologies integrate separate sensing elements in soft actuators, which presents a considerable challenge for both the fabrication and robustness of soft robots. Here we present a versatile sensing strategy that can be retrofitted to existing soft fluidic devices without the need for design changes. We achieve this by measuring the fluidic input that is required to activate a soft actuator during interaction with the environment, and relating this input to its deformed state. We demonstrate the versatility of our strategy by tactile sensing of the size, shape, surface roughness and stiffness of objects. We furthermore retrofit sensing to a range of existing pneumatic soft actuators and grippers. Finally, we show the robustness of our fluidic sensing strategy in closed-loop control of a soft gripper for sorting, fruit picking and ripeness detection. We conclude that as long as the interaction of the actuator with the environment results in a shape change of the interval volume, soft fluidic actuators require no embedded sensors and design modifications to implement useful sensing.Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technolog
Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 8
In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions of taxa in the genera Bunias, Calocedrus, Calycanthus, Celosia, Clerodendrum, Convolvulus, Crassula, Cyclamen, Datura, Dicliptera, Eragrostis, Erigeron, Gamochaeta, Gazania, Impatiens, Kolkwitzia, Leucaena, Ludwigia, Medicago, Muscari, Nigella, Oenothera, Opuntia, Paulownia, Petroselinum, Phyllostachys, Physalis, Pseudosasa, Quercus, Reynoutria, Roldana, Saccharum, Sedum, Semiarundinaria, Senecio, Sisyrinchium, Solanum, Sporobolus, Tulipa, Vachellia, Verbena, and Youngia. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1