Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Mechanical Systems

Mechanical Systems

Mechanical systems are analogous to to electrical networks where springs and masses play similar roles to inductors and capacitors, respectively. A viscous damper in mechanical systems functions similarly to a resistor in electrical networks, dissipating energy. The forces acting on a mass in such systems include an applied force in the direction of motion, counteracted by forces from the spring, a viscous damper, and the mass's acceleration. This interplay of forces is mathematically...

PD Controller: Design

PD Controller: Design

In automotive engineering, car suspension systems often employ Proportional Derivative (PD) controllers to enhance performance. PD controllers are utilized to adjust the damping force in response to road conditions. A controller, acting as an amplifier with a constant gain, demonstrates proportional control, with output directly mirroring input.
Designing a continuous-data controller requires selecting and linking components like adders and integrators, which are fundamental in Proportional,...

Plastic Deformation in Circular Shafts

Plastic Deformation in Circular Shafts

When materials are subjected to forces that surpass their yield strength, they undergo a process known as plastic deformation. This results in a permanent alteration or strain in their structure. This concept can be specifically applied to circular shafts, where the deformation leads to a change in its shape. The precise evaluation of this plastic deformation requires understanding the stress distribution within the circular shaft, which is achieved by calculating the maximum shearing stress in...

Design Example: Creating a Hydraulic Model of a Dam Spillway

Design Example: Creating a Hydraulic Model of a Dam Spillway

Scaled hydraulic models of dam spillways provide a practical way to replicate and study the intricate flow dynamics of these structures. Often built to a 1:15 ratio, these models allow for observing critical water behavior, such as velocity distribution, flow patterns, and energy dissipation.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Soft Pneumatic Actuator with Bimodal Bending Response Using a Single Pressure Source.

Soft robotics·2020

Same author

Quaternized α,α'-Amino Acids via Curtius Rearrangement of Substituted Malonate-Imidazolidinones.

The Journal of organic chemistry·2017

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Fabrication of Soft Pneumatic Network Actuators with Oblique Chambers

Fabrication of Soft Pneumatic Network Actuators with Oblique Chambers

Published on: August 17, 2018

Generative Design Procedure for Embedding Specified Planar Behavior in Modular Soft Pneumatic Actuators.

David Rostin Ellis¹, Martin Philip Venter¹, Gerhard Venter¹

¹Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

|September 22, 2021

Summary

Researchers developed a novel design tool for soft pneumatic actuators. This tool uses a genetic algorithm and finite element analysis to create actuators that accurately match desired shapes, validated by physical testing.

Keywords:

genetic algorithm modular soft pneumatic actuator reduced order model shape matching

More Related Videos

Rapid Manufacturing of Thin Soft Pneumatic Actuators and Robots

Rapid Manufacturing of Thin Soft Pneumatic Actuators and Robots

Published on: November 8, 2019

Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Published on: November 14, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Fabrication of Soft Pneumatic Network Actuators with Oblique Chambers

Fabrication of Soft Pneumatic Network Actuators with Oblique Chambers

Published on: August 17, 2018

Rapid Manufacturing of Thin Soft Pneumatic Actuators and Robots

Rapid Manufacturing of Thin Soft Pneumatic Actuators and Robots

Published on: November 8, 2019

Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Published on: November 14, 2015

Area of Science:

Robotics
Materials Science
Computational Engineering

Background:

Soft pneumatic actuators (SPAs) offer compliant and adaptable movement.
Designing SPAs to achieve specific deformed shapes is challenging due to complex material properties and nonlinear behavior.
Existing design methods often lack efficiency and precision in shape replication.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop an efficient computational design tool for creating SPAs with precise shape-matching capabilities.
To enable the customization of SPA shapes by modularly arranging articulating units.
To validate the accuracy of the computational design against physical prototypes.

Main Methods:

A modular actuator design approach using series-connected articulating units with preferential bending.
Development of a design tool integrating a genetic algorithm with a nonlinear finite element solver.
Implementation of a 2D reduced-order model to accelerate finite element analysis.
Material selection using Mold Star 15 and Smooth-Sil 950 silicone for actuator fabrication.

Main Results:

The design tool successfully generated SPA designs matching various target profiles, including sinusoidal and specific tip positions.
A significant reduction in simulation time from approximately 20 minutes to 45 seconds was achieved using the 2D reduced-order model.
Experimental validation showed excellent agreement between the designed and fabricated actuators, with a maximum average deviation of <2.5% of the uninflated length.

Conclusions:

The integrated design tool effectively optimizes SPA configurations for accurate shape replication.
The modular design strategy allows for versatile actuator shape customization.
The computational approach provides a reliable and efficient method for designing complex soft actuators.