Abstract
Pneumatic actuate of multi-segment soft robotic arm is a significant structure and has extensive applications. However, the study of the optimal structure and size of multi-segment soft robotic arm has not been achieved. In this study, the finite element method is used to optimized the structure and size of soft robotic arm. We report that the two-segment structure of soft robotic arm has better performance for the general manipulator operation task through evaluating bending angles with different structures and parameters. The optimal ratio of the total length of non-cavity section to the total length of the soft robotic arm with two-segment is 0.21. And soft robotic arm performs better when the length of the fixed first section, the linkage section between two cavity sections and the end section are equal. Two cavities in each segment has more advantages in tasks of plane bending, while three cavities structure has better adaptability when the task need bend in the space. These results in this study provide a reference and simplify the process for the structure and size design of the multi-segment soft robotic arm in the future.
Highlights
The soft robotic arm is inspired by creatures including elephant trunk and octopus tentacles [1,2]
Yahya Elsayed [21] optimized the structure and cavity size with the finite element method for three-cavity soft robotic arms, but this was only the design optimized for single-segment robotic arms
The soft robotic arm with two cavities in each segment has more advantages in tasks of plane bending, while three cavities structure has better adaptability when the task need bend in the space
Summary
The soft robotic arm is inspired by creatures including elephant trunk and octopus tentacles [1,2]. Soft robotic arms are characterized by low stiffness, high compliant, multiple degrees of freedom [3,4,5] and improved safety in human interaction compared with rigid mechanical arms. It has extensive applications in various fields [6, 7]. A soft robotic arm with this structure can achieve complex bending shapes including hook-shaped bending and S-shaped bending by controlling pressurizing of different segments and cavities [24]. The radial expansion was limited and the deformation was mainly reflected in the axial direction through wrapping the fiber on the outer surface of the soft robotic arm [25]
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