Seahorse Tail-inspired Soft Pneumatic Actuator Utilizing Dual-mode Actuation

Dickson Chiu Yu Wong, Zijian Zhou, Garmisch Lai Yin Wong, Rob B.N. Scharff

Track: Paper Submission Track

Keywords: Soft Pneumatic Actuator, Bioinspired, Pre-curved, Dual-mode Actuation, High Force Generation

TL;DR: A pre-curved soft pneumatic actuator design inspired by the seahorse tail's motion that combines dual-mode actuation with high holding force generation.

Abstract:

In this article, a 3D-printed soft pneumatic actuator
inspired by the structure of a seahorse’s tail is proposed. Unlike
previous pre-curved soft pneumatic actuator designs, which
primarily focus on straightening action when subjected to positive
pressure, our actuator offers a dual-mode actuation capability to
mimic the movement of the seahorse tail controlled by muscle
contraction. Specifically, it can be straightened under negative
pressure and further rolled under positive pressure. Also, its
material composition allows it to generate gripping forces. Under
atmospheric pressure, the actuator can produce a maximum
gripping force of 23N. When subjected to positive pressure, this
force increases drastically to 79N. This dual-mode actuation and
substantial high force generation capabilities allow for a more
appropriate replication of the seahorse tail’s natural movements,
making our actuator suitable for diverse tasks such as delicate
passive and active grasping, as well as object anchoring.

Submission Number: 186