The softness distribution index: towards the creation of guidelines for the modeling of soft-bodied robots

Naselli, Giovanna Adele; Mazzolai, Barbara

doi:10.1177/0278364919893451

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…A similar approach is found in Lauderbaugh et al (2021), with the difference that we account here for large deflections. To do this, we applied a technique named nonlinear matrix structural analysis (NMSA), as in our previous work (Naselli and Mazzolai, 2019). In short, the technique consists of discretizing the petiole as a series of segments, each being a flexible element with two end points (called nodes), and computing its deformation when acted upon by a set of external loads (called nodal forces).…”

Section: Mechanical Model: Statics and Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wind dynamics and leaf motion: Approaching the design of high-tech devices for energy harvesting for operation on plant leaves

2022

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High-tech sensors, energy harvesters, and robots are increasingly being developed for operation on plant leaves. This introduces an extra load which the leaf must withstand, often under further dynamic forces like wind. Here, we took the example of mechanical energy harvesters that consist of flat artificial “leaves” fixed on the petioles of N. oleander, converting wind energy into electricity. We developed a combined experimental and computational approach to describe the static and dynamic mechanics of the natural and artificial leaves individually and join them together in the typical energy harvesting configuration. The model, in which the leaves are torsional springs with flexible petioles and rigid lamina deforming under the effect of gravity and wind, enables us to design the artificial device in terms of weight, flexibility, and dimensions based on the mechanical properties of the plant leaf. Moreover, it predicts the dynamic motions of the leaf–artificial leaf combination, causing the mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion at a given wind speed. The computational results were validated in dynamic experiments measuring the electrical output of the plant-hybrid energy harvester. Our approach enables us to design the artificial structure for damage-safe operation on leaves (avoiding overloading caused by the interaction between leaves and/or by the wind) and suggests how to improve the combined leaf oscillations affecting the energy harvesting performance. We furthermore discuss how the mathematical model could be extended in future works. In summary, this is a first approach to improve the adaptation of artificial devices to plants, advance their performance, and to counteract damage by mathematical modelling in the device design phase.

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Section: Mechanical Model: Statics and Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wind dynamics and leaf motion: Approaching the design of high-tech devices for energy harvesting for operation on plant leaves

2022

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“…The kinematic and dynamic modeling of the soft manipulator needs to consider the highly nonlinear mechanical properties because of its soft material, flexible structure and special actuation (Naselli & Mazzolai, 2021). The kinematics modeling methods are mainly divided into constant curvature method and nonconstant curvature method.…”

Section: Enabling Technologies Of the Soft Manipulatormentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of soft manipulator research, applications, and opportunities

Chen

Zhang

Huang

et al. 2021

Journal of Field Robotics

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Soft manipulator is a kind of special manipulator that uses soft material or flexible structure to perform manipulation task under the specific drive mode inspired by the soft tissue. It is developing gradually as an important component of the soft robot. In this paper, the typical design cases of the soft manipulators as well as the related research teams are firstly investigated. The characteristics of different drive modes are compared and analyzed. Based on these investigations, the enabling technologies are systematically summarized in five aspects, such as kinematic and dynamic modeling, motion control, shape detection, dynamic tactile perception, and stiffening method. Currently, the research on soft manipulator has initially formed a technical system, although it is still in the primary stage. With the development of the soft manipulator, its overall technology maturity will be gradually improved. Currently, the applications of the soft manipulator lie mainly in the fields of the ground rescue, the underwater grabbing, the medical operation, the assist maintenance, the man–machine interaction, the space manipulation and so on. The application fields, such as origami soft manipulator, biomimetic soft microrobots, self‐healing soft robot, space soft manipulator and so on, emerge new opportunities and challenges for the soft manipulators.

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“…At the mechanical level, mathematical and innovative computational techniques to reliably predict the behavior of soft and hyper-elastic materials are under development. [387] Mathematically modelling how a macroscopic actuation affect a chain-like and multi-units complex system, i.e., the multifunctional skin, is computationally demanding, especially when molecular and atomistic details are needed, such as the case of chromophores bonded to polymer chains or the properties of the material in the interphase surrounding aggregates. [186,388] Finally, at the learning level, a soft robot requires a distributed proprioception enabled by a soft, sensorized, and morphing skin capable of communicate with the artificial control system and demand for 3D configurations or various advanced activities.…”

Section: Perspective and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the mechanical level, mathematical and innovative computational techniques to reliably predict the behavior of soft and hyper‐elastic materials are under development. [ 387 ] Mathematically modelling how a macroscopic actuation affect a chain‐like and multi‐units complex system, i.e., the multifunctional skin, is computationally demanding, especially when molecular and atomistic details are needed, such as the case of chromophores bonded to polymer chains or the properties of the material in the interphase surrounding aggregates. [ 186,388 ]…”

Section: Perspective and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Perspective on Cephalopods Mimicry and Bioinspired Technologies toward Proprioceptive Autonomous Soft Robots

Giordano

Carlotti

Mazzolai

2021

Adv Materials Technologies

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scientific community. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Regardless, every time a living being reveals novel adaptive and dynamically reactive mimicry behavior, it inspires and fosters futuristic and unexpected technological outcomes. [8][9][10][11][12] At the biological level, the visual crypsis is the ability of a species to resemble the surroundings by matching the coloration and the geometrical patterns of the habitat. In this sense, a living being can control its appearance optically (thanks to arranged and optimized structures at the mesoscopic scale, by means of pigmentation, or emissive elements) and morphologically (it can show wrinkles and textures on the body to evade detection or observation). [13][14][15][16][17][18] Both these mechanisms are characterized by a time response that ranges from milliseconds to hundreds of seconds. In nature, several species take advantage of cryptic abilities, as, e.g., in cephalopods, [7] crustaceans, [19] reptilians, [1,20,21] insects, [22,23] birds, [24,25] shells, [26,27] plants, [28,29] among many. The biotic color changing and body patterning relate to reproductive, communicative, and defensive and/or predatory strategies. Unfortunately, the nervous or central control-chain system that steers these behaviors in animals and plants, is still somehow fogged for scientists. [7,[30][31][32] A complete knowledge about their central information process systems, can open to astonishing developments in many scientific branches, from neurobiology [33,34] to quantum biology. [35] Undoubtedly, the most debated case of study in the natural world are cephalopods, which not only are highly evolved and specialized in fast adaptive color changing displays, but also are able to actuate their skin to generate 3D patterns, when exposed to specific mechanical, thermal, optical, or chemical stimuli. Soft muscular arrangements, [36][37][38] spatially distributed and expandable absorbing components (namely chromatophores), [39,40] iridescent elements (namely irido phores), [41,42] and bright white scatterers (namely leucophores) [43] are responsible for textural, postural and color changing. Moreover, octopuses are a remarkable intelligent species, able, for example, to open a jar or avoid predators in the order of seconds. [44] Thus, cephalopods are usually regarded as a perfect example of embodied intelligence, [45] thanks to the symbiosis between their body's mechanics and morphology, and the distributed sensory neuro-motor-control system. Their "learning", "mechanical" and "material intelligence" will be our lodestars along this review, resulting in a fascinating connection between Octopus skin is an amazing source of inspiration for bioinspired sensors, actuators and control solutions in soft robotics. Soft organic materials, biomacromolecules and protein ingredients in octopus skin combined with a distributed intelligence, result in adaptive displays that can control emerging optical behavior, and 3D surface textures with rough geometries, with a remarkably high control speed (≈ms). To be able ...

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The softness distribution index: towards the creation of guidelines for the modeling of soft-bodied robots

Cited by 10 publications

References 47 publications

Wind dynamics and leaf motion: Approaching the design of high-tech devices for energy harvesting for operation on plant leaves

Wind dynamics and leaf motion: Approaching the design of high-tech devices for energy harvesting for operation on plant leaves

A review of soft manipulator research, applications, and opportunities

A Perspective on Cephalopods Mimicry and Bioinspired Technologies toward Proprioceptive Autonomous Soft Robots

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