DEVELOPMENT OF A SCALABLE SOFT FINGER GRIPPER FOR SOFT ROBOTS

Abstract

Soft robotics is vastly drawing attention, especially concerning their unique characteristics. Soft robots could be used to enhance motion as a soft exoskeleton, as soft prosthetics, or function as grippers for lifting objects. A challenge to the fabrication and actuation of conventional Dielectric Elastomer Actuators (DEAs) is that they require a pre-stretch over an external rigid frame. Moreover, the external rigid frame can hardly bend, causing the actuation to be limited to planar. In this research, we characterized a silicone-based elastomer electrically and mechanically as a substitute for conventional elastomers. Then, we developed a fabrication process and implemented a backbone structure to achieve soft and scalable finger grippers capable of lifting and holding arbitrary objects without needing an external frame.