Soft Hinge Research Articles

Design, Modeling, and Control of a 3D Printed Monolithic Soft Robotic Finger With Embedded Pneumatic Sensing Chambers

This article presents a directly 3-D printed soft monolithic robotic finger with embedded soft pneumatic sensing chambers (PSC) as position and touch sensors. The monolithic finger was fabricated using a low-cost and open-source fused deposition modeling 3-D printer that employs an off-the-shelf soft and flexible commercially available thermoplastic polyurethane. A single soft hinge with an embedded PSC was optimized using finite element modeling and a hyperelastic material model to obtain a linear relationship between the internal change in the volume of its PSC and the corresponding input mechanical modality, to minimize its bending stiffness and to maximize its internal volume. The soft hinges with embedded PSCs have several advantages, such as fast response to very small changes in their internal volume (~0.0026ml/°), linearity, negligible hysteresis, repeatability, reliability, long lifetime, and low power consumption. Also, the flexion of the soft robotic finger was predicted using a geometric model for use in real-time control. The real-time position and pressure/force control of the soft robotic finger were achieved using feedback signals from the soft hinges and the touch PSC embedded in the tip of the finger. This article contributes to the development of seamlessly embedding optimized sensing elements in the monolithic topology of a soft robotic system and controlling the robotic system using the feedback data provided by the sensing elements to validate their performance.

Analysis of the Flexibility of a Soft Hinge with a Floating Power Connection

Providing high safety standard for aerospace field is one of the most important issues that designers and engineers must face [1, 2]. It is especially important for life support systems, which consist of a set of tools used to ensure human safety while maintaining high performance. However, human needs to have a stable and comfortable environment inside the suit, as well as an appropriate suitable and high-tech equipment. One of the most important problems in the development of perspective spacesuits (extravehicular and rescue) is the flexibility of the legs and especially the arms of the spacesuit. Ideally, the level of flexibility of the spacesuit should correspond to the level of flexibility of a person in ordinary clothes.This paper presents an analysis of the flexibility of a soft hinge with a floating force connection, guaranteeing the mechanical flexibility of the soft hinge elements. The advantages and disadvantages of corrugated joints are discussed. Conclusions have been drawn on the relevance of using soft joints with a floating force connection in space suits, especially in gloves. This paper discusses requirement analysis on the materials used for gloves manufacturing as well as test procedures used to the requirements control.

Integration, Sensing, and Control of a Modular Soft-Rigid Pneumatic Lower Limb Exoskeleton.

This article presents the system integration, sensing, and control of a novel modular soft-rigid pneumatic exoskeleton for lower limb. The proposed exoskeleton consists of three soft hinges (to drive the hip, knee, and ankle joints) and four rigid links (aligned with the waist, thigh, crus, and foot). Each soft hinge is made of and actuated by a customized bidirectional curl pneumatic artificial muscle (CPAM), whereas the links are three-dimensional printed. Each of the rigid links combined with its lower soft hinge (if any) is made into an independent soft-rigid module, that is, the waist-hip, thigh-knee, crus-ankle, and foot modules. With each of the modules are multiple sensors integrated, including two pressure sensors for detecting the inflating pressures, and two flex sensors and an inertia measurement unit for estimating the bending angles of the soft hinges via data fusion. Through a data-fitted angle-torque-pressure relationship of the CPAM, the actuation torque is estimated. An external electropneumatic control system is also developed. The double closed-loop control system consisting of pressure servos and position/torque controllers is designed to control the bending angles and actuation torques of the exoskeleton hinges. Experiment shows good motion controllability of the proposed exoskeleton in the range of motion of a gait cycle.

Soft morphing hand driven by SMA tendon wire

Abstract Most existing approaches to developing robotic manipulators or artificial hands have used rigid components, with joints, linkages, gears, and motors. Rigid robotic systems can perform tasks with precise and articulated motion, but require complex integrated feedback-based control systems. Soft robotics is an emerging research field that uses deformable materials to build systems that are compliant and adaptable via simple integrated mechanisms, enabling biomimetic behavior with compact systems. Here, we report a novel tendon-driven bending actuator using smart soft composite (SSC) and shape memory alloy (SMA). First, an artificial finger was designed based on a SMA wire and a sliding mechanism, which mimics flexion of the human hand. This artificial finger has a soft hinge structure to enable the bending motion of the actuator. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the bending and load resistance of the artificial finger, and an optimal material composition was identified. The bending performance of the actuator was measured with various numbers of glass fiber sheets, and two-layered actuator showed the best performance in terms of the trade-off relationship between the bending capacity and the load holding capacity – bending angle of 305° with weight of 20 g and bending angle of 61° with weight of 60 g. Finally, a prototype robotic hand was then developed using four tendon-driven SSC fingers and a thumb, and grasping capabilities were demonstrated with various objects with diverse shapes.

Enhancing the optical lever sensitivity of microcantilevers for dynamic atomic force microscopy via integrated low frequency paddles

A method is presented to enhance the optical lever sensitivity in dynamic atomic force microscopy (AFM) by nearly an order of magnitude over a wide frequency bandwidth. This is achieved by fabricating or releasing a paddle with a soft hinge close to the free end of the AFM microcantilever such that the paddle resonance frequency is well below the fundamental resonance frequency of the microcantilever. We show a significant increase in signal to noise ratio when cantilever motion is observed at the paddle for AFM systems that are not limited by thermal noise. Also, any effects due to the excitation of the second eigenmode were decoupled by locating the paddle at the node of the second eigenmode. We use these probes for higher harmonic imaging in amplitude modulated AFM (AM–AFM) on a standard polymer blend made of polystyrene and low density polyethylene. We demonstrate significantly improved contrast in higher harmonic images when observing cantilever motion at the paddle. Thus this microcantilever design can improve significantly conventional cantilever performance for dynamic AFM and is compatible with low-cost, high yield microfabrication processes.

FRI-08 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION: A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF TREATMENT OPTIONS WITH A FOCUS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFLATABLE PENILE PROSTHESIS

You have accessJournal of UrologyHistory of Urology Forum I1 Apr 2015FRI-08 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION: A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF TREATMENT OPTIONS WITH A FOCUS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFLATABLE PENILE PROSTHESIS Amanda Saltzman, Kristi L. Hebert, Kristen Gurtner, and Eric Laborde Amanda SaltzmanAmanda Saltzman More articles by this author , Kristi L. HebertKristi L. Hebert More articles by this author , Kristen GurtnerKristen Gurtner More articles by this author , and Eric LabordeEric Laborde More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2015.02.486AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Reports of erectile dysfunction (ED) have been found on Egyptian tombs, Greek paintings and in the Old Testament. The treatment of ED has advanced significantly. The objective of this article is to explore historical options for the treatment of erectile dysfunction with emphasis on the development and progression of inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP). METHODS A literature review was conducted. Inclusion criteria included articles devoted to historical elements of “history of erectile dysfunction”, “history of erectile dysfunction treatment”, and “history of penile prosthesis”. Articles discussing the natural history of the disease were excluded. Twenty-one articles met criteria for inclusion in this review. RESULTS Men of Ancient Rome and Greece wore talismans of rooster and goat genitalia to serve as an aphrodisiac and promote sexual function. Romans would consume the genitalia of animals with high libidos, such as rabbits, and even drink the semen of hawks and eagles. Galvanism and the “coitus training apparatus” were early alternative treatments. In the 19th century, testosterone's role in erectile function was discovered, which lead to animal testosterone injections, and testicular grafts and transplants. The late 1990s introduced sildenafil and was followed closely by other effective oral agents. The first penile implant used rib cartilage and bone, which was reabsorbed a few years after implantation. Acrylic rods were used to avoid reabsorption, but these had high rates of infection and erosion. Silicone was then used as a single rod, which offered rigidity, but was not well concealed. The first concealed device was a pair of semi rigid silicone rods placed in each cavernosal body with a soft hinge placed beneath the pubis for concealment. This was an improvement, but patients still desired a more natural appearance in the flaccid state. Dr. F. Brantley Scott pioneered the IPP with his invention of the first 3-piece IPP consisting of sponge filled silicone cylinders. Currently available IPPs have undergone numerous revisions to address cylinder aneurysm, fibrosis and scarring, connector leakage, coatings to reduce infection, and lockout valves to reduce autoinflation. CONCLUSIONS ED has been a problem dating back to the beginning of written history. In the 21st century men have many more proven options to treat this issue and do not have to resort to such practices as ingesting animal genitalia or various forms of torture. As research continues, and new advances in treatment are made, we can offer men more treatment options. © 2015 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 193Issue 4SApril 2015Page: e584 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2015 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Amanda Saltzman More articles by this author Kristi L. Hebert More articles by this author Kristen Gurtner More articles by this author Eric Laborde More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Finney flexirod prosthesis

The experience gained from the implantation of 763 Flexirod Prostheses is described. Special features of this design include a tapered distal tip which provides for better glans stability, a soft hinge which allows for improved penile concealment, and a trimmable tail which, together with preoperative measurement of the penis, allows the surgeon to determine the correct prosthesis size well in advance of surgery. The surgical procedure is not difficult, the complication rate is low, device failure is extremely rare, and most patients are restored to a satisfactory sex life.