SoRoTop: a hitchhiker’s guide to topology optimization MATLAB code for design-dependent pneumatic-driven soft robots

Demands for pneumatic-driven soft robots are constantly rising for various applications. However, they are often designed manually due to the lack of systematic methods. Moreover, design-dependent characteristics of pneumatic actuation pose distinctive challenges. This paper provides a compact MATLAB code, named SoRoTop, and its various extensions for designing pneumatic-driven soft robots using topology optimization. The code uses the method of moving asymptotes as the optimizer and builds upon the approach initially presented in Kumar et al. (Struct Multidiscip Optim 61(4):1637–1655, 2020). The pneumatic load is modeled using Darcy’s law with a conceptualized drainage term. Consistent nodal loads are determined from the resultant pressure field using the conventional finite element approach. The robust formulation is employed, i.e., the eroded and blueprint design descriptions are used. A min–max optimization problem is formulated using the output displacements of the eroded and blueprint designs. A volume constraint is imposed on the blueprint design, while the eroded design is used to apply a conceptualized strain energy constraint. The latter constraint aids in attaining optimized designs that can endure the applied load without compromising their performance. Sensitivities required for optimization are computed using the adjoint-variable method. The code is explained in detail, and various extensions are also presented. It is structured into pre-optimization, MMA optimization, and post-optimization operations, each of which is comprehensively detailed. The paper also illustrates the impact of load sensitivities on the optimized designs. SoRoTop is provided in “Appendix A” and is available with extensions in the supplementary material and publicly at https://github.com/PrabhatIn/SoRoTop.