MAT-DiSMech: A Discrete Differential Geometry-Based Computational Tool for Simulation of Rods, Shells, and Soft...

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Computational Mechanics
• Soft Systems Engineering

Background:

• Accurate simulation is crucial for robotics, especially in soft robotics with complex deformations.
• Existing simulators often trade physical accuracy for computational efficiency or vice versa.
• High-fidelity methods like finite element analysis are computationally expensive for soft structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel discrete differential geometry-based simulator for soft robots.
• To achieve a balance between physical accuracy and computational efficiency in soft robot simulation.
• To provide an open-source, customizable framework for simulating soft robot dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Utilized discrete differential geometry for modeling soft robot structures (rods, shells).
• Employed implicit integration techniques for simulating deformations.
• Implemented various physical forces: gravity, contact, damping, drag (hydrodynamic, aerodynamic).

Main Results:

• Developed an open-source MATLAB-based simulator balancing accuracy and computational cost.
• Demonstrated accurate simulation of soft robot deformations, including combinations of rods and shells.
• Validated the simulator's physical accuracy through illustrative examples.

Conclusions:

• The proposed simulator offers a computationally tractable method for accurately modeling soft robots.
• The modular design allows for user customization and extension.
• The tool serves as a digital twin, improving the Sim2Real transfer in soft robotics research.