A Modular Geometrical Framework for Modelling the Force-Contraction Profile of Vacuum-Powered Soft Actuators
In this paper, we present a generalized modeling tool for predicting the output force profile of vacuum-powered soft actuators using a simplified geometrical approach and the principle of virtual work. Previous work has derived analytical formulas to model the force-contraction profile of specific a...
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Frontiers Media SA
2021
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/132629 |
| _version_ | 1811081835709464576 |
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| author | Gollob, Samuel Dutra Park, Clara Koo, Bon Ho Brandon Roche, Ellen |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Gollob, Samuel Dutra Park, Clara Koo, Bon Ho Brandon Roche, Ellen |
| author_sort | Gollob, Samuel Dutra |
| collection | MIT |
| description | In this paper, we present a generalized modeling tool for predicting the output force profile of vacuum-powered soft actuators using a simplified geometrical approach and the principle of virtual work. Previous work has derived analytical formulas to model the force-contraction profile of specific actuators. To enhance the versatility and the efficiency of the modelling process we propose a generalized numerical algorithm based purely on geometrical inputs, which can be tailored to the desired actuator, to estimate its force-contraction profile quickly and for any combination of varying geometrical parameters. We identify a class of linearly contracting vacuum actuators that consists of a polymeric skin guided by a rigid skeleton and apply our model to two such actuators-vacuum bellows and Fluid-driven Origami-inspired Artificial Muscles-to demonstrate the versatility of our model. We perform experiments to validate that our model can predict the force profile of the actuators using its geometric principles, modularly combined with design-specific external adjustment factors. Our framework can be used as a versatile design tool that allows users to perform parametric studies and rapidly and efficiently tune actuator dimensions to produce a force-contraction profile to meet their needs, and as a pre-screening tool to obviate the need for multiple rounds of time-intensive actuator fabrication and testing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:53:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/132629 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:53:14Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media SA |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1326292022-09-27T22:36:19Z A Modular Geometrical Framework for Modelling the Force-Contraction Profile of Vacuum-Powered Soft Actuators Gollob, Samuel Dutra Park, Clara Koo, Bon Ho Brandon Roche, Ellen Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Medical Engineering & Science In this paper, we present a generalized modeling tool for predicting the output force profile of vacuum-powered soft actuators using a simplified geometrical approach and the principle of virtual work. Previous work has derived analytical formulas to model the force-contraction profile of specific actuators. To enhance the versatility and the efficiency of the modelling process we propose a generalized numerical algorithm based purely on geometrical inputs, which can be tailored to the desired actuator, to estimate its force-contraction profile quickly and for any combination of varying geometrical parameters. We identify a class of linearly contracting vacuum actuators that consists of a polymeric skin guided by a rigid skeleton and apply our model to two such actuators-vacuum bellows and Fluid-driven Origami-inspired Artificial Muscles-to demonstrate the versatility of our model. We perform experiments to validate that our model can predict the force profile of the actuators using its geometric principles, modularly combined with design-specific external adjustment factors. Our framework can be used as a versatile design tool that allows users to perform parametric studies and rapidly and efficiently tune actuator dimensions to produce a force-contraction profile to meet their needs, and as a pre-screening tool to obviate the need for multiple rounds of time-intensive actuator fabrication and testing. National Science Foundation (Award 1847541) Muscular Dystrophy Association Research (Grant 577961) 2021-09-22T18:03:18Z 2021-09-22T18:03:18Z 2021-03 2020-09 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 2296-9144 https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/132629 Gollob, Samuel Dutra et al. "A Modular Geometrical Framework for Modelling the Force-Contraction Profile of Vacuum-Powered Soft Actuators." Frontiers in Robotics and AI 8 (March 2021): 606938. © 2021 Gollob et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2021.606938 Frontiers in Robotics and AI Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ application/pdf Frontiers Media SA Frontiers |
| spellingShingle | Gollob, Samuel Dutra Park, Clara Koo, Bon Ho Brandon Roche, Ellen A Modular Geometrical Framework for Modelling the Force-Contraction Profile of Vacuum-Powered Soft Actuators |
| title | A Modular Geometrical Framework for Modelling the Force-Contraction Profile of Vacuum-Powered Soft Actuators |
| title_full | A Modular Geometrical Framework for Modelling the Force-Contraction Profile of Vacuum-Powered Soft Actuators |
| title_fullStr | A Modular Geometrical Framework for Modelling the Force-Contraction Profile of Vacuum-Powered Soft Actuators |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Modular Geometrical Framework for Modelling the Force-Contraction Profile of Vacuum-Powered Soft Actuators |
| title_short | A Modular Geometrical Framework for Modelling the Force-Contraction Profile of Vacuum-Powered Soft Actuators |
| title_sort | modular geometrical framework for modelling the force contraction profile of vacuum powered soft actuators |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/132629 |
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