An empirical model of soft bellows actuator
Abstract Soft robotics has emerged as a highly promising field, particularly for handling interactions in unstructured environments such as food factories and agricultural warehouses. This potential is largely attributed to the inherent flexibility and compliance of soft robots. A critical aspect in...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79084-w |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850162873395838976 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhe Qiu Shengyang Zhang Yitong Xue Yang Zhang Yoshiki Mori Shinichi Hirai Sadao Kawamura Zhongkui Wang |
| author_facet | Zhe Qiu Shengyang Zhang Yitong Xue Yang Zhang Yoshiki Mori Shinichi Hirai Sadao Kawamura Zhongkui Wang |
| author_sort | Zhe Qiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Soft robotics has emerged as a highly promising field, particularly for handling interactions in unstructured environments such as food factories and agricultural warehouses. This potential is largely attributed to the inherent flexibility and compliance of soft robots. A critical aspect in the development of these robots lies in the selection and utilization of appropriate soft actuators and materials. Nevertheless, the modeling of soft robots presents considerable challenges owing to their intricate properties and continuum nature. In this article, we focus on the design and modeling of a three dimensional (3D) printed soft bellows actuator. The primary objective is to assess its efficacy in creating suitable soft grippers for handling various practical products. We propose an empirical model to predict the output forces of the soft bellows actuator. This model comprehensively integrates parameters such as bellows geometry and material properties, thereby providing valuable insights for the actuator’s design and control. To ascertain the precision of our model, we conducted a series of finite element simulations considering different designed parameters of the bellows, and performed experimental validations using 3D printed bellows actuators. The empirical model demonstrated high accuracy in predicting the output forces of the bellows actuator, with average absolute and relative errors of $$1.35\,$$ 1.35 N and $$3.5\%$$ 3.5 % , respectively. As an application, a robotic gripper with two parallel bellows actuators was developed, and its grasping force was validated using the empirical model. Building on this, a robotic gripper incorporating three bellows actuators was designed and fabricated based on the empirical model, and pick-and-place experiments were effectively conducted for handling a range of products. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-caf01d5ce7674188b1b9db9721889f02 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-caf01d5ce7674188b1b9db9721889f022025-08-20T02:22:26ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-11-0114111910.1038/s41598-024-79084-wAn empirical model of soft bellows actuatorZhe Qiu0Shengyang Zhang1Yitong Xue2Yang Zhang3Yoshiki Mori4Shinichi Hirai5Sadao Kawamura6Zhongkui Wang7Department of Robotics, Ritsumeikan UniversityDepartment of Robotics, Ritsumeikan UniversityDepartment of Robotics, Ritsumeikan UniversityDepartment of Robotics, Ritsumeikan UniversityDepartment of Information Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan UniversityDepartment of Robotics, Ritsumeikan UniversityRitsumeikan Global Innovation Research Organization, Ritsumeikan UniversityDepartment of Robotics, Ritsumeikan UniversityAbstract Soft robotics has emerged as a highly promising field, particularly for handling interactions in unstructured environments such as food factories and agricultural warehouses. This potential is largely attributed to the inherent flexibility and compliance of soft robots. A critical aspect in the development of these robots lies in the selection and utilization of appropriate soft actuators and materials. Nevertheless, the modeling of soft robots presents considerable challenges owing to their intricate properties and continuum nature. In this article, we focus on the design and modeling of a three dimensional (3D) printed soft bellows actuator. The primary objective is to assess its efficacy in creating suitable soft grippers for handling various practical products. We propose an empirical model to predict the output forces of the soft bellows actuator. This model comprehensively integrates parameters such as bellows geometry and material properties, thereby providing valuable insights for the actuator’s design and control. To ascertain the precision of our model, we conducted a series of finite element simulations considering different designed parameters of the bellows, and performed experimental validations using 3D printed bellows actuators. The empirical model demonstrated high accuracy in predicting the output forces of the bellows actuator, with average absolute and relative errors of $$1.35\,$$ 1.35 N and $$3.5\%$$ 3.5 % , respectively. As an application, a robotic gripper with two parallel bellows actuators was developed, and its grasping force was validated using the empirical model. Building on this, a robotic gripper incorporating three bellows actuators was designed and fabricated based on the empirical model, and pick-and-place experiments were effectively conducted for handling a range of products.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79084-wSoft roboticsPneumatic actuatorBellows actuator3D printingEmpirical modelRobotic gripper |
| spellingShingle | Zhe Qiu Shengyang Zhang Yitong Xue Yang Zhang Yoshiki Mori Shinichi Hirai Sadao Kawamura Zhongkui Wang An empirical model of soft bellows actuator Scientific Reports Soft robotics Pneumatic actuator Bellows actuator 3D printing Empirical model Robotic gripper |
| title | An empirical model of soft bellows actuator |
| title_full | An empirical model of soft bellows actuator |
| title_fullStr | An empirical model of soft bellows actuator |
| title_full_unstemmed | An empirical model of soft bellows actuator |
| title_short | An empirical model of soft bellows actuator |
| title_sort | empirical model of soft bellows actuator |
| topic | Soft robotics Pneumatic actuator Bellows actuator 3D printing Empirical model Robotic gripper |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79084-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zheqiu anempiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT shengyangzhang anempiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT yitongxue anempiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT yangzhang anempiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT yoshikimori anempiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT shinichihirai anempiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT sadaokawamura anempiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT zhongkuiwang anempiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT zheqiu empiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT shengyangzhang empiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT yitongxue empiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT yangzhang empiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT yoshikimori empiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT shinichihirai empiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT sadaokawamura empiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator AT zhongkuiwang empiricalmodelofsoftbellowsactuator |