Tri-Prism Origami Enabled Soft Modular Actuator for Reconfigurable Robots.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Soft actuators are crucial for surgery, prosthetics, and manipulation but face limitations in force output and dynamic response.
• Existing soft actuator designs often struggle with complex movements and durability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel soft pneumatic actuator utilizing triangular prism origami and fabric-based creases.
• To enhance actuator performance, enabling swift response, fatigue resistance, and improved output force.
• To demonstrate the actuator's modularity and programmability for complex robotic tasks.

Main Methods:

• Fabric-based triangular prism origami for actuator construction.
• Series connection of actuators to achieve combined extension and compound bending.
• Modularization using mortise and tenon joints for programmable configurations.
• Demonstration of applications in reconfigurable robots.

Main Results:

• The fabric origami design provides swift response and fatigue resistance.
• Series connection enables complex motions like extension and diversified compound bending.
• Modularized actuators can be programmed for intricate tasks through timed sequences.
• Successful application in reconfigurable robots for soft gripping, navigation, and obstacle avoidance.

Conclusions:

• The developed soft pneumatic actuator offers significant improvements in performance and versatility.
• Its modular and programmable nature facilitates diverse applications in soft robotics.
• This design represents a significant advancement for developing adaptable and capable soft robotic systems.