Investigation of stiffness and mechanical property change capabilities of compliant 2D tensegrity grids for the application in soft robotics

Abstract

The application of compliant tensegrity grids in soft robotics represents a promising research topic. These grids enable the development of systems capable of substantial variations in both shape and stiffness. This paper presents 2D tensegrity grids, which are composed of deformable compressed units connected indirectly through flexible, tensioned members. Various grid configurations are analyzed regarding their stiffness characterizations and property change capabilities. A preset-feature-detector method is used to evaluate the shape adaptation of a demonstrator manufactured using rapid prototyping.