TY - JOUR
T1 - Modelling of Modular Soft Robots: From a Single to Multiple Building Blocks
AU - Atia, Mohamed G. B.
AU - Mohammad, Abdelkhalick
AU - Madrigal, Andres Gameros
AU - Axinte, Dragos
AU - Wright, Iain
PY - 2024/4/1
Y1 - 2024/4/1
N2 - Despite the advances in soft robots, their modelling is still one of the research challenges due to the complexity and non-linearity of their soft nature. A novel design of reconfigurable soft robots was recently introduced to bring more maturity to the field of soft robots. Here, a modelling study of the building blocks and the assembled soft robot is developed for a deeper understanding of the system and for predicting their behaviours. The model is validated using several sets of individual and multiple building blocks and the results show good tracking between the model and the experiments with reasonable errors. Towards adopting the model in robotic applications, a grasping setup of 2 assembled soft fingers is demonstrated where the model is used to predict the grasping force and compared to feedback sensing. The force prediction reveals the adaptability of the model and its robustness.
AB - Despite the advances in soft robots, their modelling is still one of the research challenges due to the complexity and non-linearity of their soft nature. A novel design of reconfigurable soft robots was recently introduced to bring more maturity to the field of soft robots. Here, a modelling study of the building blocks and the assembled soft robot is developed for a deeper understanding of the system and for predicting their behaviours. The model is validated using several sets of individual and multiple building blocks and the results show good tracking between the model and the experiments with reasonable errors. Towards adopting the model in robotic applications, a grasping setup of 2 assembled soft fingers is demonstrated where the model is used to predict the grasping force and compared to feedback sensing. The force prediction reveals the adaptability of the model and its robustness.
KW - Building blocks
KW - Dielectric elastomer actuators
KW - Modelling
KW - Modularity
KW - Reconfigurability
KW - Soft robotics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85182915623&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/3ba87aa0-121d-3b8d-8494-132a568d906d/
U2 - 10.1016/j.robot.2024.104622
DO - 10.1016/j.robot.2024.104622
M3 - Article
SN - 0921-8890
VL - 174
JO - Robotics and Autonomous Systems
JF - Robotics and Autonomous Systems
M1 - 104622
ER -