Design, fabrication and kinematic modeling of a 3D-motion soft robotic arm

Abstract

In this paper, we present the design, fabrication and the mathematical model of an entire soft robotic arm with three-dimensional (3D) locomotion. We first describe the design of the soft arm based on 3D printed channels that were spatially distributed at the interface of two different silicone elastomeric materials which enable complex 3D motion of the soft arm. Then we demonstrate the workspace of motion at different air pressure levels, and the ability of the mathematic model to predict the three-dimensional movement in free space. We further demonstrate that modifying the texture of the surface of the soft arm can constrain the radial expansion. Finally, we estimate the workspace, location repeatability of the soft arm via actual tests.