Title | Laser Cutting as a Rapid Method for Fabricating Thin Soft Pneumatic Actuators and Robots. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2018 |
Authors | Moghadam AAli Amiri, Alaie S, Nath SDeb, Shaarbaf MAghasizade, Min JK, Dunham S, Mosadegh B |
Journal | Soft Robot |
Volume | 5 |
Issue | 4 |
Pagination | 443-451 |
Date Published | 2018 08 |
ISSN | 2169-5180 |
Keywords | Equipment Design, Lasers, Polyurethanes, Robotics |
Abstract | Pneumatically actuated soft robots address many challenges with interfacing with delicate objects, but these actuators/robots are still bulky and require many hours to fabricate, limiting their widespread use. This article reports a novel design and manufacturing method for ultrathin soft robots and actuators (∼70 μm) using a laser-cutting machine that cuts/welds sheets of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) from a 2D CAD drawing. Using this method, five different soft actuators (e.g., bending, rotating, contracting) are designed, fabricated, and characterized with both planar and nonplanar motions. Furthermore, we show how stacking multiple sheets of TPU enables rapid fabrication of multifunctional actuators. Finally, a portable four-arm swimming robot is designed and fabricated without any assembly steps. This rapid fabrication method enables soft robots to go from concept to operational within minutes, and creates a new subclass of soft robots suitable for applications requiring a robot to be ultrathin, lightweight, and/or fit within small volumes. |
DOI | 10.1089/soro.2017.0069 |
Alternate Journal | Soft Robot |
PubMed ID | 29924697 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC6094352 |
Grant List | UL1 TR000457 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States |
Related Institute:
Dalio Institute of Cardiovascular Imaging (Dalio ICI)