3D printing of robotic soft actuators with programmable bioinspired architectures

Open access
Author
Show all
Date
2018Type
- Journal Article
Citations
Cited 231 times in
Web of Science
Cited 232 times in
Scopus
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics
Abstract
Soft actuation allows robots to interact safely with humans, other machines, and their surroundings. Full exploitation of the potential of soft actuators has, however, been hindered by the lack of simple manufacturing routes to generate multimaterial parts with intricate shapes and architectures. Here, we report a 3D printing platform for the seamless digital fabrication of pneumatic silicone actuators exhibiting programmable bioinspired architectures and motions. The actuators comprise an elastomeric body whose surface is decorated with reinforcing stripes at a well-defined lead angle. Similar to the fibrous architectures found in muscular hydrostats, the lead angle can be altered to achieve elongation, contraction, or twisting motions. Using a quantitative model based on lamination theory, we establish design principles for the digital fabrication of silicone-based soft actuators whose functional response is programmed within the material's properties and architecture. Exploring such programmability enables 3D printing of a broad range of soft morphing structures. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000249948Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Nature CommunicationsVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
Nature Publishing GroupOrganisational unit
03831 - Studart, André R. / Studart, André R.
Funding
157696 - 3D Printing of Heterogeneous Bioinspired Composites (SNF)
More
Show all metadata
Citations
Cited 231 times in
Web of Science
Cited 232 times in
Scopus
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics