Soluble Polymer Pneumatic Networks and a Single-Pour System for Improved Accessibility and Durability of Soft Robotic Actuators

Greer, Alexander H.; King, E.M.; Lee, Elijah H.; Sardesai, Aditya N.; Chen, Yiheng; Obuz, Safa E.; Graf, Yan; Ma, Toby; Chow, Daniel Y.; Fu, Tianshi; Somani, Josiah; Schork, Bram W.; Sankuratri, Yeshwin; Barnes, Troy; Broadus, Bryce; Costner, Calvin; Golecki, Holly M.

doi:10.1089/soro.2019.0133

Cited by 13 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This work is the result of semester-long experimentation and a year-long analysis embedded in a two-semester advanced physics course. Our previous work has shown that, given time and space, young students can make novel advances in science and engineering. , We believe this work further supports the idea that young students can engage in experimental design and probe complex questions to explore STEM concepts.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 70%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Design of a Guided Inquiry Classroom Activity to Investigate Effects of Chemistry on Physical Properties of Elastomers

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Typical organization of science and mathematics K12 education divides subjects into discrete courses. However, science and engineering are highly interdisciplinary fields. To better equip students to engage in the interdisciplinary nature of real-world STEM research and practice, projects can be used to highlight the interconnectivity of core subjects. Here, we present an exploratory, guided inquiry classroom research project. This work details student-led experiments combining physics and chemistry principles to fabricate silicone bouncy balls and analyze resulting mechanochemical relationships in these elastomeric materials. In this project, students embodied researchers to uncover foundational relationships among chemistry, physics, and mathematics. To do this, students used silicone kits to design an array of polymer formulations resulting in bouncy balls of varying stiffnesses. Students aimed to answer a physics-based research question using chemistry and mathematics. The resulting data was used to discuss the effect of polymer chemistry on the behavior of the bouncy balls. This exercise serves to combine hands-on fabrication methods with quantitative analysis, using experimental methods of varying costs and complexities that can be tailored to instructor time and budget. The project presented here is appropriate for upper-level high school students or first-year undergraduates. The pedagogical goal of the work is to empower students to realize and use connections between chemistry, physics, polymer science, and engineering to understand the process of material design and selection.

show abstract

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 70%

“…Our previous work has shown that, given time and space, young students can make novel advances in science and engineering. 22,23 We believe this work further supports the idea that young students can engage in experimental design and probe complex questions to explore STEM concepts.…”

Section: ■ Introductionsupporting

confidence: 61%

Design of a Guided Inquiry Classroom Activity to Investigate Effects of Chemistry on Physical Properties of Elastomers

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The finger-like movement of FEAs is leveraged to create soft gloves for assistive finger movement and rehabilitation (Figure 4) to create a biomimetic glove [31]. Elastomer-based FEAs are scalable for microscale applications using techniques such as soft lithography [33,34]. The lower limit of the device size is only limited by fluid power supply.…”

Section: Silicone Pneumatic Actuatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The lower limit o the device size is only limited by fluid power supply. [33] and (d) curled with air pressure. (e) Textile actuators curl based on textile weave [33].…”

Section: Silicone Pneumatic Actuatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Role of Soft Robotic Micromachines in the Future of Medical Devices and Personalized Medicine

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Developments in medical device design result in advances in wearable technologies, minimally invasive surgical techniques, and patient-specific approaches to medicine. In this review, we analyze the trajectory of biomedical and engineering approaches to soft robotics for healthcare applications. We review current literature across spatial scales and biocompatibility, focusing on engineering done at the biotic-abiotic interface. From traditional techniques for robot design to advances in tunable material chemistry, we look broadly at the field for opportunities to advance healthcare solutions in the future. We present an extracellular matrix-based robotic actuator and propose how biomaterials and proteins may influence the future of medical device design.

show abstract

Edible Soft Actuators Based on Konjac Glucomannan for Underwater Operation

Kanno,

Kwak,

Pankhurst

et al. 2024

Advanced Intelligent Systems

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Soft robots are being increasingly developed and deployed for underwater applications such as exploration, monitoring, and rescue owing to their innate compliance, mechanical and chemical stability, and waterproof properties. However, they are still predominantly manufactured using silicones and acrylic elastomers, which pose environmental risks due to their limited biodegradability. To tackle this issue, a method for manufacturing water‐resistant, liquid‐driven soft actuators made from a novel type of konjac glucomannan (KGM) is presented, which is plant‐derived, insoluble, and edible. The material offers impressive stretchability, reaching up to 67.2% of its initial length, surpassing previous related work, and withstands over a 1000 cycles of tensile stress. Using this material, we develop soft actuators that can bend up to 47.1°, and the maximum blocking force of 0.1 N is achieved with a pressure input of 20 kPa. A gripper that is capable of grasping various objects underwater is also evaluated. In essence, this article introduces a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional soft robotic materials, paving the way for innovative and eco‐conscious underwater applications. The utilization of edible, water‐resistant materials like konjac provides a promising solution to reduce pollution and mitigate negative environmental impacts associated with traditional underwater soft robots.

show abstract

Soluble Polymer Pneumatic Networks and a Single-Pour System for Improved Accessibility and Durability of Soft Robotic Actuators

Cited by 13 publications

References 16 publications

Design of a Guided Inquiry Classroom Activity to Investigate Effects of Chemistry on Physical Properties of Elastomers

Design of a Guided Inquiry Classroom Activity to Investigate Effects of Chemistry on Physical Properties of Elastomers

The Role of Soft Robotic Micromachines in the Future of Medical Devices and Personalized Medicine

Edible Soft Actuators Based on Konjac Glucomannan for Underwater Operation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About