K. Elgeneidy, P. Lightbody, S. Pearson, G. Neumann
{"title":"Characterising 3D-printed Soft Fin Ray Robotic Fingers with Layer Jamming Capability for Delicate Grasping","authors":"K. Elgeneidy, P. Lightbody, S. Pearson, G. Neumann","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722715","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722715","url":null,"abstract":"Motivated by the growing need within the agri-food industry to automate the handling of delicate produce, this paper presents soft robotic fingers utilising the Fin Ray® effect to passively and gently adapt to delicate targets. The proposed Soft Fin Ray fingers feature thin ribs and are entirely 3D printed from a flexible material (NinjaFlex) to enhance their shape adaptation, compared to the original Fin Ray fingers. To overcome their reduced force generation, the effects of the angle and spacing of the flexible ribs were experimentally characterised. The results showed that at large displacements, layer jamming between tilted flexible ribs can significantly enhance the force generation, while minimal contact forces can be still maintained at small displacements for delicate grasping.","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"42 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123834210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
N. J. Wilkinson, Maria Lukic-Mann, M. P. Shuttleworth, R. Kay, R. Harris
{"title":"Aerosol Jet Printing for the Manufacture of Soft Robotic Devices","authors":"N. J. Wilkinson, Maria Lukic-Mann, M. P. Shuttleworth, R. Kay, R. Harris","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722766","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722766","url":null,"abstract":"Soft robotics is a fast growing field of engineering where there are significant opportunities to realize new forms of actuation and sensing. However, there is also a challenge to translate some of the lab-based developments into a robust industrial manufacturing process. Linked to this is also the opportunity to create new forms of functionality in soft robotic devices by employing a flexible, digital manufacturing process for their creation. Overcoming these hurdles, and unlocking the possibilities for greater functionality, is likely to be a key enabler for wider applications and adoption of soft robotics in practical applications. We present a system of computer-controlled Aerosol Jet Printing that will enable complex soft robotic structures to be manufactured. The process is demonstrated through the deposition of a carbon-based conductive ink on to elastomeric substrates for high resolution, conformal and multilayer patterning. Functional demonstrators, in the form of a dielectric elastomer actuator and strain sensor, are produced to showcase the potential of the technique.","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"246 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115003083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Wireless Compact Control Unit (WiCCU) for Untethered Pneumatic Soft Robots","authors":"L. Manfredi, A. Cuschieri","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722788","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722788","url":null,"abstract":"The performance of a soft pneumatic robot (SPR) relies on the synergy between the mechanical design and the control unit that implements a closed-loop control between sensors and actuators. Most controllers are designed by using off-the-shelf components. Although commercial parts present high precision and reliability, they are heavy and bulky, limiting the realisation and design of untethered robots. The present study describes a wireless pneumatic control unit of a compact and light design that can control up to 3 pneumatic chambers. The unit includes pressure sensors and high precision miniaturised proportional valves. To simplify both the electrical cabling and the air tubes connections, a compact manifold is used to connect valves and pressure sensors. The control unit uses a Bluetooth RS232 serial module for a wireless communication. The mechatronic design is reported describing the electronic hardware, the manifold solution, and the firmware implementation. Experiments report i) the control of a linear pneumatic actuator (LPA), and ii) a simultaneous activation of 3 LPAs connected to a base providing 3 degrees of freedom (DOFs).","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"53 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129158891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kohei Amano, Yukiko Iwasaki, Koki Nakabayashi, H. Iwata
{"title":"Development of a Three-Fingered Jamming Gripper for Corresponding to the Position Error and Shape Difference","authors":"Kohei Amano, Yukiko Iwasaki, Koki Nakabayashi, H. Iwata","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722768","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722768","url":null,"abstract":"In this research, we consider a small-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) end effector aimed at absorbing position error and object shape difference. The end effector that can grasp various shapes with a SDOF simplifies the control method and thus improves versatility for existing robot systems. However, the conventional SDOF end effector cannot perform precise operation as compared with high degrees of freedom, so it becomes weak against shape difference and position error of the object to be held. Therefore, in this research, we focused on “drawing function” and “adapting function” which are effective for error absorption and developed an end effector capable of absorbing errors by integrating them into a SDOF. We evaluated the error absorption performance of the developed integrated end effector and examined the mechanism.","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129163320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Buckling Elements for Elastomer Deformation","authors":"Alix J. Partridge, A. Conn","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722820","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722820","url":null,"abstract":"Buckling instabilities can be the cause for dramatic breakdown in a variety of systems. However, this paper seeks to exploit the addition of buckling elements within soft robotic systems, to create a passive binary switch from a stiffened system to an unstiffened system via a quick, predictable response. This binary switch essentially operates as a high pass filter for pressure, restraining motion at low pressures and allowing full control at high pressures. To test, the proposed elements were attached to fluidic elastomer actuators in three configurations, the first with no element, the second with an element that extended across all internal pneumatic chambers and a third that offset the element, allowing the first two pneumatic chambers to actuate prior to buckling. The actuators were then inflated and their pressure and curvature responses were recorded with respect to volume. Buckled elements are shown to suppress effective curvature at low pressures, prior to buckling. Post buckling, the rate of effective curvature increases. The snap angle of buckling for each of the constrained systems is shown to be 19.6° for the fully constrained pneu-net and 28.6° for the pneu-net with offset buckling element (averaged across five trials). This paper proposes the use of such buckling elements in responsive gripping technologies and as a method for morphological change.","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"29 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116965274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hee-Sup Shin, Taekyoung Kim, S. Bergbreiter, Yong‐Lae Park
{"title":"Biomimetic Soft Airflow Sensor with Printed Ionogel Conductor","authors":"Hee-Sup Shin, Taekyoung Kim, S. Bergbreiter, Yong‐Lae Park","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722710","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722710","url":null,"abstract":"This work demonstrates a soft airflow sensor that is able to detect the direction and the magnitude of airflow, taking advantage of additive manufacturing for fast prototyping. The sensor is comprised of a printed conductive ionogel array with four channels embedded in a elastomeric film: three channels for individual sensor signals and the other for common ground. The film consists of two different types of highly compliant elastomers to maximize the deflection of the artificial hair. the design of the artificial hair was proposed to maximize the moments at the lower end of the hair resulting from the airflow. A compact readout circuit to simultaneously acquire data from the impedances of the three channels was designed and its functionality was experimentally verified. The experimental results from unidirectional static and cyclic loads show a linear and repeatable response of the sensors and a clear relationship between the response and applied airflow.","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115144131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Fabrication of Soft Devices with Buried Fluid Channels by Using Sacrificial 3D Printed Molds","authors":"Anastasia Koivikko, V. Sariola","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722741","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722741","url":null,"abstract":"Casting silicone elastomers into 3D printed molds has seen a surge of applications in soft robots, soft manipulators, microfluidics, wearable technologies and stretchable sensors. In such devices, buried fluid channels are used to transport fluids, as fluidic actuators and as sensors with liquid metal. However, it is difficult to demold structures with buried channels or overhangs. As a solution, using sacrificial molds made of dissolvable materials has been proposed. In this paper, we evaluate different commercially available 3D printing materials as dissolvable mold materials. We tested dissolving prints made of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in limonene, acetone, isopropanol/ethanol and water, respectively. We further studied the effect of magnetic stirring and ultrasonic bath on the dissolution times. Finally, we fabricated buried channels using different mold materials and silicone elastomers. The results show that at least ABS, PVB and PVA can be used as mold materials. In particular, PVA is a promising material as it is soluble in water. The studied method simplifies the fabrication of soft devices, allowing the fabrication of overhangs and buried channels in a single casting step.","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"10 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116658298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ellen Roels, Seppe Terryn, J. Brancart, G. Assche, B. Vanderborght
{"title":"A Multi-Material Self-Healing Soft Gripper","authors":"Ellen Roels, Seppe Terryn, J. Brancart, G. Assche, B. Vanderborght","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722781","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722781","url":null,"abstract":"In the field of soft robotics, the material selection plays an important role and markedly influences the properties of the actuators. More complex actuators can be manufactured by combining the strengths of multiple materials in a single design. To allow this, a good connection between the different materials is indispensable. Making a physical connection between flexible materials, having different properties, is difficult and leads to failure and damage due to stress concentrations at the interface. This is why in soft robots, most of the time single-material actuators are used. In this work, re-mendable elastomeric polymers are used to construct multi-material soft actuators. These Diels-Alder polymers consist of a thermore-versible covalent network that allows chemical bonding at the interface between two parts. Two Diels-Alder polymers were synthesised with contrasting mechanical properties. Although, having dissimilar Young's moduli, these different materials can chemically bind at the interface, resulting in a very strong connection. This principle was elaborated in a dual-material tendon-driven soft gripper. Additionally, the reversible network allows to heal damages using mild heating. This healing ability was demonstrated by subsequently damaging and completely healing the dual-material soft actuator multiple times.","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"29 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124822307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Shibuya, Yukiwo Iwamoto, Hiep Xuan Trinh, V. A. Ho
{"title":"Detecting Sliding Movement Location on Morphologically Changeable Soft Tactile Sensing System with Three-axis Accelerometer","authors":"K. Shibuya, Yukiwo Iwamoto, Hiep Xuan Trinh, V. A. Ho","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722818","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722818","url":null,"abstract":"This paper addresses the design, fabrication and preliminary experimental results of our newly developed morphologically changeable soft tactile sensing system aiming at detecting the location of a sliding movement. The proposed system consists of a silicon rubber base with a chamber and a thin silicone rubber skin covering the chamber. A three-axis accelerometer is embedded in the skin. By pressurizing the chamber, the skin inflates, changing its sensitivity to sliding movements on the surface of the skin. We fabricated a sensing system and conducted preliminary experiments to assess its ability. First, we measured the height of the inflated skin and by comparing it with the output of accelerometer, we confirmed that the skin height has a linear relationship with the output of the accelerometer. We then let the sensor system move so that an indenter slides on the surface of the skin. From the obtained data of the accelerometer, we concluded that we can judge the location of the sliding movement of the indenter and that the sensing system potentially has the ability to detect the direction of the movements.","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127739465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Direct Writing-based Wiring of Liquid Metal to a Metal Electrode for Soft Sensor Systems","authors":"Suin Kim, Dahee Jeong, J. Oh, J. Bae","doi":"10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722763","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722763","url":null,"abstract":"As demands for stretchable electronics have increased in the field of wearable devices, liquid metal, such as eutectic Gallium-Indium (eGaIn), has gained much attention due to its metallic conductivity with liquid reconfigurability. Although various applications have been suggested using eGaIn, an electrical connection has remained as a technique challenge. Wires have been directly inserted into the microfluidic channel filled with eGaIn, resulting in electromechanically unstable connection, bulky size, and time consuming fabrication steps for the electrode part. In this study, a novel solution for the electrode is proposed, connecting eGaIn wires directly to the metal electrode based on direct writing of eGaIn. The two electrode materials were considered as candidates, including electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) and immersion tin (Im-Sn) plated surfaces. Among them, only the ENIG-finished surface had stable electrical connection with eGaIn, allowing sufficiently low contact resistance 0.1Ω The suggested electrode part was mechanically durable under strain up to 100 %. As an application, a sensing skin embedding 10 sensing units was fabricated based on direct ink writing, using a flexible flat cable finished by ENIG plating.","PeriodicalId":207634,"journal":{"name":"2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)","volume":"42 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115226064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}