{"title":"Orimura: A Novel Soft Pneumatic Actuator","authors":"Zinat Tasneem;Koichi Oka","doi":"10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3603981","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"This paper introduces Orimura, a novel soft pneumatic actuator inspired by a modified Yoshimura Origami cylinder, designed explicitly for substantial axial elongation. To identify an optimal configuration, eight variations of modified Yoshimura paper models were precisely evaluated. The actuator was fabricated by folding watercolor paper into an origami pattern and coating it with Ecoflex 00-50 elastomer, forming a flexible yet robust paper–elastomer composite. To ensure air-tightness, the structure was sealed with additional paper–elastomer layers. Actuation was achieved using a syringe pump: the actuator extended under positive pressure and contracted under vacuum. A mathematical model was developed to describe the relationship between the geometric parameters of the origami structure, specifically the varying row heights, and the resulting height ratio. This model was validated through a rigorous experimental testing process. Three Orimura configurations were fabricated and tested, demonstrating substantial axial elongation ranging from 262% to 638%. Notably, the largest actuator configuration with a cross-sectional area of 3375 mm2 achieved a maximum extension ratio of 638% while sustaining loads up to 15 times its weight without significant performance degradation. Even under a load 22 times its weight, the actuator maintained a considerable extension of 585%, indicating high load-bearing capacity. Significantly, the incorporation of paper reinforcement effectively suppressed lateral expansion during operation. Furthermore, the mathematical model suggests that even greater elongation may be achieved by increasing the actuator’s dimensions. These results underscore Orimura’s innovative structural design and its potential contribution to the development of customizable, high-performance actuators in the field of soft robotics.","PeriodicalId":13079,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Access","volume":"13 ","pages":"153681-153695"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11145059","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"IEEE Access","FirstCategoryId":"94","ListUrlMain":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11145059/","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"COMPUTER SCIENCE, INFORMATION SYSTEMS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This paper introduces Orimura, a novel soft pneumatic actuator inspired by a modified Yoshimura Origami cylinder, designed explicitly for substantial axial elongation. To identify an optimal configuration, eight variations of modified Yoshimura paper models were precisely evaluated. The actuator was fabricated by folding watercolor paper into an origami pattern and coating it with Ecoflex 00-50 elastomer, forming a flexible yet robust paper–elastomer composite. To ensure air-tightness, the structure was sealed with additional paper–elastomer layers. Actuation was achieved using a syringe pump: the actuator extended under positive pressure and contracted under vacuum. A mathematical model was developed to describe the relationship between the geometric parameters of the origami structure, specifically the varying row heights, and the resulting height ratio. This model was validated through a rigorous experimental testing process. Three Orimura configurations were fabricated and tested, demonstrating substantial axial elongation ranging from 262% to 638%. Notably, the largest actuator configuration with a cross-sectional area of 3375 mm2 achieved a maximum extension ratio of 638% while sustaining loads up to 15 times its weight without significant performance degradation. Even under a load 22 times its weight, the actuator maintained a considerable extension of 585%, indicating high load-bearing capacity. Significantly, the incorporation of paper reinforcement effectively suppressed lateral expansion during operation. Furthermore, the mathematical model suggests that even greater elongation may be achieved by increasing the actuator’s dimensions. These results underscore Orimura’s innovative structural design and its potential contribution to the development of customizable, high-performance actuators in the field of soft robotics.
IEEE AccessCOMPUTER SCIENCE, INFORMATION SYSTEMSENGIN-ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC
CiteScore
9.80
自引率
7.70%
发文量
6673
审稿时长
6 weeks
期刊介绍:
IEEE Access® is a multidisciplinary, open access (OA), applications-oriented, all-electronic archival journal that continuously presents the results of original research or development across all of IEEE''s fields of interest.
IEEE Access will publish articles that are of high interest to readers, original, technically correct, and clearly presented. Supported by author publication charges (APC), its hallmarks are a rapid peer review and publication process with open access to all readers. Unlike IEEE''s traditional Transactions or Journals, reviews are "binary", in that reviewers will either Accept or Reject an article in the form it is submitted in order to achieve rapid turnaround. Especially encouraged are submissions on:
Multidisciplinary topics, or applications-oriented articles and negative results that do not fit within the scope of IEEE''s traditional journals.
Practical articles discussing new experiments or measurement techniques, interesting solutions to engineering.
Development of new or improved fabrication or manufacturing techniques.
Reviews or survey articles of new or evolving fields oriented to assist others in understanding the new area.