Switchable Strain-Limiting Structures for Soft Robotics

One of the potential advantages of soft robots is the so-called inherent morphological computation, which reduces the complexity of the control system and leads to a division of tasks between hardware and software. The use of soft materials to build the robots leads to a passive adaptation to external influences and the environment, whereby these reactions are not regulated by the robot controller but by the structure of the robot. However, soft robots are not exclusively made of soft materials. Complex movements of soft actuators are only possible due to strain-limiting structures inside the actuators. These structures limit the elongation of the actuators in certain directions, thereby directing the actuation energy. These strain-limiting structures are usually permanently embedded in the actuator during the manufacturing process, which means that possible movements are pre-programmed. In this research project, we are investigating strain-limiting structures that are switchable. This expands the possibilities for moving the actuators, making them more versatile and less dependent on (potentially) expensive actuation energy sources such as pneumatic or hydraulic valves and pumps. This has advantages, for example, when used in the deep sea or for operation in magnetic resonance imaging.