Related papers: Topology-Optimized Pneumatic Soft Actuator: Design…
The work explores a specific scenario for structural computational optimization based on the following elements: (a) a relaxed optimization setting considering the ersatz (bi-material) approximation, (b) a treatment based on a nonsmoothed…
Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs) made of soft constituents have emerged as promising material-structure systems in potential applications across many engineering disciplines, such as soft robots, actuators, energy harvesting, and tissue…
The recent advancements in machine learning techniques have steered us towards the data-driven design of products. Motivated by this objective, the present study proposes an automated design methodology that employs data-driven methods to…
Underactuated manipulators reduce the number of bulky motors, thereby enabling compact and mechanically robust designs. However, fewer actuators than joints means that the manipulator can only access a specific manifold within the joint…
This paper presents the design and assessment of a fabric-based soft pneumatic actuator with low pressurization requirements for actuation making it suitable for upper extremity assistive devices for infants. The goal is to support shoulder…
Developing appropriate analytic-function-based constitutive models for new materials with nonlinear mechanical behavior is demanding. For such kinds of materials, it is more challenging to realize the integrated design from the collection…
In topology optimization of compliant mechanisms, the specific placement of boundary conditions strongly affects the resulting material distribution and performance of the design. At the same time, the most effective locations of the loads…
Although research studies in pneumatic soft robots develop rapidly, most pneumatic actuators are still controlled by rigid valves and conventional electronics. The existence of these rigid, electronic components sacrifices the compliance…
Demands for pneumatic-driven soft robots are constantly rising for various applications. However, they are often designed manually due to the lack of systematic methods. Moreover, design-dependent characteristics of pneumatic actuation pose…
The increasing availability of full-field displacement data from imaging techniques in experimental mechanics is determining a gradual shift in the paradigm of material model calibration and discovery, from using several simple-geometry…
We propose a new algorithm for the design of topologically optimized lightweight structures, under a minimum compliance requirement. The new process enhances a standard level set formulation in terms of computational efficiency, thanks to…
Topology optimization methods have widely been used in various industries, owing to their potential for providing promising design candidates for mechanical devices. However, their applications are usually limited to the objects which do…
Gel-elastomer composites, comprising an active swellable hydrogel and a passive elastomer, are a compelling class of programmable material systems (PMS) capable of shape morphing under multiphysics actuation. The precise design of the…
Soft robotics has emerged as the standard solution for grasping deformable objects, and has proven invaluable for mobile robotic exploration in extreme environments. However, despite this growth, there are no widely adopted computational…
This paper focuses on the design and systematic evaluation of fabric-based, bellow-type soft pneumatic actuators to assist with flexion and extension of the elbow, intended for use in infant wearable devices. Initially, the performance of a…
Soft pneumatic actuators enable safe human-machine interaction with lightweight and powerful applied parts. On the other side, they suffer design limitations as regards complex actuation patterns, including minimum bending radii,…
This paper presents modeling of a compliant 2D manipulator, a so called soft hydraulic/fluidic elastomer actuator. Our focus is on fiber-Reinforced Fluidic Elastomer Actuators (RFEA) driven by a constant pressure hydraulic supply and…
Plasticity is inherent to many engineering materials such as metals. While it can degrade the load-carrying capacity of structures via material yielding, it can also protect structures through plastic energy dissipation. To fully harness…
In this paper, we presented a data-driven framework to optimize the out-of-plane stiffness for soft grippers to achieve mechanical properties as hard-to-twist and easy-to-bend. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated in the design…
A framework for topology optimization of cooling channels is proposed, which paves the way towards automated design of additively-manufactured cooling channels, required in applications such as the efficient heat management of die casting…