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Origami-inspired folding assembly of dielectric elastomers for programmable soft robots
Yanhua Sun1,2, Dengfeng Li3, Mengge Wu1,3
1State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, 610054 People's Republic of China.
Microsystems & Nanoengineering
|April 22, 2022
Summary
Origami-inspired folding assembly enables the creation of electrically controlled 3D soft robots. These robots demonstrate stable crawling and manipulation capabilities, paving the way for advanced intelligent robotic systems.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Origami principles offer a versatile method for fabricating complex 3D structures.
- Soft robots are increasingly important for intelligent systems and manipulation tasks.
- Dielectric elastomer (DE) actuators are key components in soft robotics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop independent, electrically controlled origami 3D soft robots.
- To explore materials, designs, and fabrication methods for these robots.
- To demonstrate the robots' capabilities in locomotion and manipulation.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing origami-inspired folding assembly for soft actuators.
- Employing multilayer structures with dielectric elastomer (DE) films and laser-cut PET frames.
- Designing triangular and rectangular soft actuators for assembly into various 3D structures.
Main Results:
- Successfully developed crawling soft robots with stable locomotion and load-carrying capacity.
- Created pyramidal and square-shaped 3D soft robots exhibiting programmable deformations.
- Demonstrated electrically controllable origami deformation for soft manipulation and grasping.
Conclusions:
- Origami-inspired fold-based assembly of DE actuators is a viable approach for soft robot development.
- The developed soft robots show potential for intelligent, multifunctional applications.
- This methodology serves as a reference for future advancements in soft robotics.
