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Skins and Sleeves for Soft Robotics: Inspiration from Nature and Architecture
Author(s) -
Lekakou Constantina,
Elsayed Yahya,
Geng Tao,
Saaj Chakravarthini M.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
advanced engineering materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.938
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1527-2648
pISSN - 1438-1656
DOI - 10.1002/adem.201400406
Subject(s) - soft robotics , actuator , robotics , robot , pneumatic actuator , biomimetics , architecture , soft materials , artificial intelligence , mechanical engineering , artificial muscle , engineering , formability , computer science , materials science , nanotechnology , composite material , art , visual arts
This paper is on the design, fabrication, and testing of skins and sleeves for soft robotics with the focus on the mechanical features of the microstructure of these skins, drawing inspiration from nature and architecture. Biological inspirations drawn from animals are used for designing skin membranes or skin structures for soft robotic actuators, in particular pneumatic actuators that protect, guide, and contribute to the development of the actuated shape. The results presented in this paper will be a new step toward advancing the state‐of‐the‐art of biologically inspired soft robots for minimally invasive surgery. Inspirations from architecture are of particular interest in the areas of formability of design and continuous flow. The report presents a trade‐off study using various skin and sleeve technologies of innovative fiber structures and combinations of different materials in different innovative designs, surrounding a pneumatically actuated, soft robot of variable stiffness.