Toward a Common Framework and Database of Materials for Soft Robotics.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Robotics Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Advancing soft robotics requires standardized material data for accurate simulation and design.
• Finite element analysis (FEA) is crucial for optimizing soft robot performance.
• A unified database of material constitutive models and experimental characterizations is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a comprehensive database of material properties for soft robotics applications.
• To provide material constitutive models and experimental data for commonly used elastomers.
• To facilitate the design and simulation of soft-bodied robots.

Main Methods:

• Seventeen different elastomers were subjected to uniaxial tensile tests following the ASTM D412 standard.
• Tensile test data were used to derive parameters for hyperelastic material models via nonlinear least-squares methods.
• Experimental raw data and algorithms for parameter determination are shared openly.

Main Results:

• Mechanical characterization and material properties for a wide range of hyperelastic materials are presented.
• Parameters for hyperelastic material models derived from experimental data are provided.
• The study includes characterization of both common and novel elastomers for soft robotics.

Conclusions:

• The developed database aids soft roboticists in designing and modeling soft robots.
• This resource serves as a foundation for future material characterizations in soft robotics.
• Openly sharing data and algorithms promotes community contributions and accelerates research.