Modeling and Analysis of Fiber-reinforced Soft Bending Actuators

Abstract

Soft bending actuators can provide larger contact forces and bending angles if designed with fiber-reinforced structure. The research of fiber-reinforced soft bending actuators mainly focuses on experimental evaluations. However, theoretical analysis and modeling of the deformation and contact force are limited. In this paper, the deformation and the contact force of fiber-reinforced soft bending actuators are studied. The relationship between the number of winded coils as well as their pitch and the actuator's bending are analyzed. A nonlinear mathematical model of the soft bending angle driven by pressurized air, and the theoretical model of its contact force are proposed. To verify these theories, the finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments are conducted. The results prove that the fiber-reinforced structure significantly improve the bending behavior and the contact force of soft bending actuators.