The softness distribution index: towards the creation of guidelines for the modeling of soft-bodied robots

Abstract

Modeling soft robots is not an easy task owing to their highly nonlinear mechanical behavior. So far, several researchers have tackled the problem using different approaches, each having advantages and drawbacks in terms of accuracy, ease of implementation, and computational burden. The soft robotics community is currently working to develop a unified framework for modeling. Our contribution in this direction consists of a novel dimensionless quantity that we call the softness distribution index (SDI). The SDI for a given soft body is computed based on the distribution of its structural properties. We show that the index can serve as a tool in the choice of a modeling technique among multiple approaches suggested in literature. At the moment, the investigation is limited to bodies performing planar bending. The aim of this work is twofold: (i) to highlight the importance of the distribution of the geometrical and material properties of a soft robotic link/body throughout its structure; and (ii) to demonstrate that a classification based on this distribution provides guidelines for the modeling.