Dexterity and workspace analysis of two soft robotic manipulators

Deepak Trivedi, Daniel Lesutis, Christopher D. Rahn

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Soft robotic manipulators are continuum robots made of soft materials that undergo continuous elastic deformation and produce motion with a smooth backbone curve. These manipulators offer significant advantages over traditional manipulators due to their ability to conform to their surroundings, move with dexterity and manipulate objects of widely varying size using whole arm manipulation. Soft robotic manipulators are complex and difficult to design, model and fabricate. In this paper, we present a cost effective design for a pneumatic air muscle based soft robotic manipulator in which the actuators for the distal section extend from the base to the tip of the arm, thereby simplifying the pneumatic design and eliminating the need for endplates. We compare the workspace and dexterity of continuous tube (CT) design with a previously developed OctArm type manipulator and conclude that although the two designs have comparable workspace area, the OctArm workspace has better dexterity characteristics.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationASME 2010 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE2010
Pages1389-1398
Number of pages10
EditionPARTS A AND B
DOIs
StatePublished - 2010
EventASME 2010 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE2010 - Montreal, QC, Canada
Duration: Aug 15 2010Aug 18 2010

Publication series

NameProceedings of the ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference
NumberPARTS A AND B
Volume2

Other

OtherASME 2010 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE2010
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityMontreal, QC
Period8/15/108/18/10

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Modeling and Simulation
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design

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