Preliminary Design and Performance Test of Tendon-Driven Origami-Inspired Soft Peristaltic Robot

Abstract

Origami-based flexible, compliant and bio-inspired robots are believed to permit a range of medical applications with unpredictable environments. Here in this article, we experimentally demonstrate a novel origami inspired mobile robot structure which reconstructs its shape in the pivotal direction and launches peristaltic motion. To be able to sustain shear stress and counteract buckling, while accommodating the whole Origami robot in some stochastic confined environment, mobile robot sufficiently needed structural rigidity. To meet this requirement, Daler - Rowney canford paper of 150 gsm paper was chosen for carving fold lines. The Yoshimura origami pattern was manifested as the main body of the mobile robot to generate active deformation. In order to prevent buckling of springs during compression and expansion, special supporting structures made up of cardboard having alternate mountain and valley folds and coated in photopolymer resin. Finally, we were able to achieve a peristaltic motion of an average speed of 0.056 ern/sec, while we envision in future to incorporate the same construct for more potential biomedical and industrial application areas.