Abstract
Design, sensing, and control of underwater gripping systems remain challenges for soft robotic manipulators. Our study investigates these critical issues by designing a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuation system for a soft robotic finger with a directly 3D-printed stretchable skin-like tactile sensor. SMA actuators were thermomechanically trained to assume a curved finger-like shape when Joule heated, and the flexible multi-layered tactile sensor was directly 3D-printed onto the surface of the fingertip. A nonlinear controller was developed to enable precise fingertip force control using feedback from the compliant tactile sensor. Underwater experiments were conducted using closed-loop force feedback from the directly 3D-printed tactile sensor with the SMA actuators, showing satisfactory force tracking ability. Furthermore, a 3D finite element model was developed to more deeply understand the shape memory thermal-fluidic-structural multi-physics simulation of the manipulator underwater. An application for human control via electromyogram (EMG) signals also demonstrated an intuitive way for a person to operate the submerged robotic finger. Together, these results suggested that the soft robotic finger could be used to carefully manipulate fragile objects underwater.
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