Related papers: 3D Printed Actuators: Reversibility, Relaxation an…
This paper presents a novel Embroidery Actuator, a fabric-integrated pneumatic actuator that enables diverse and controllable deformations through embroidery pattern design. Unlike conventional fabric actuators that rely on fiber- or…
Additive manufacturing, such as 3D printing, offers unparalleled opportunities for rapid prototyping of complex three-dimensional objects, but typically requires simultaneous building of solid supports to minimize deformation and ensure…
This paper presents design, fabrication and control of a compliant 2D manipulator, a so called soft actuator. Our focus is on fiber-reinforced elastomer actuators driven by a constant pressure hydraulic supply and modulated on/off valves.…
Natural filaments, such as proteins, plant tendrils, octopus tentacles, and elephant trunks, can transform into arbitrary three-dimensional shapes that carry out vital functions. Their shape-morphing behavior arises from intricate…
Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a promising solution for handling the complexity of fabricating soft robots. However, the AM of hyperelastic materials is still challenging with a limited material range. Within this work, pellet-based 3D…
Thin elastic sheets bend easily and, if they are patterned with cuts, can deform in sophisticated ways. Here we show that carefully tuning the location and arrangement of cuts within thin sheets enables the design of mechanical actuators…
The emerging new paradigm of technologies, the internet of things, entails a process of device miniaturization to combine several functional components, such as sensors, actuators, and powering elements, in a single individual on-chip…
We describe a macroscopic beam splitter for polar neutral molecules. A complex electrode structure is required for the beam splitter which would be very difficult to produce with traditional manufacturing methods. Instead, we make use of a…
Classical rigid-bodied robotic systems are presented with proven success in theoretical development and industrial applications, are recently challenged by the emergence of soft robotics due to a growing need in physical human-robot…
High-aspect-ratio polymer materials are widely utilized in applications ranging from everyday materials such as clothing to specialized equipment in industrial and medical fields. Traditional fabrication methods, such as extrusion and…
Freeform thin-shell surfaces are critical in various fields, but their fabrication is complex and costly. Traditional methods are wasteful and require custom molds, while 3D printing needs extensive support structures and post-processing.…
Vacuum-forming is a common manufacturing technique for constructing thin plastic shell products by pressing heated plastic sheets onto a mold using atmospheric pressure. Vacuum-forming is ubiquitous in packaging and casing products in…
Vertebrate animals benefit from a combination of rigidity for structural support and softness for adaptation. Similarly, integrating rigidity and softness can enhance the versatility of soft robotics. However, the challenges associated with…
Polymer 3D printing is a broad set of manufacturing methods that permit the fabrication of complex architectures, and, as a result, numerous efforts focus on formulating processible chemistries that produce desirable material behavior in…
Foams are versatile by nature and ubiquitous in a wide range of applications, including padding, insulation, and acoustic dampening. Previous work established that foams 3D printed via Viscous Thread Printing (VTP) can in principle combine…
Self-healing silicones that are able to restore the functionalities and extend the lifetime of soft devices hold great potential in many applications. However, currently available silicones need to be triggered to self-heal or suffer from…
Soft robotic actuators are safe and adaptable devices with inherent compliance, which makes them attractive for manipulating delicate and complex objects. Researchers have integrated stiff materials into soft actuators to increase their…
Additive manufacturing has revolutionized the building of materials direct from design, allowing high resolution rapid prototyping in complex 3D designs with many materials. 3D printing hasenabled high strength damage-tolerant structures,…
3D printing has enabled various applications using different forms of materials, such as filaments, sheets, and inks. Typically, during 3D printing, feedstocks are transformed into discrete building blocks and placed or deposited in a…
Nematic elastomers are programmable soft materials that display large, reversible and predictable deformation under an external stimulus such as a change in temperature or light. While much of the work in the field has focused on actuation…