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8. SOFT ROBOTICS

RESEARCH

“Nature has created excellent technologies around us, and as such, it is the chief mentor to humans on creativity and technology development” (Das et al., 2015)


BIOMIMICRY

Biomimicry is an innovative design approach that seeks solutions by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies. By observing and analyzing biological forms, processes, and systems, designers and scientists can create sustainable solutions that address human challenges (Benyus, 2002).

WAYS OF BEING

There is a fascinating book titled Ways of Being by James Bridle which explores the interconnectedness of life forms, intelligence, and technology. By examining how various life forms “think” and “move”, Bridle encourages a deeper understanding of natural intelligence, offering a model for designers and engineers to create responsive, adaptable technologies that align more closely with ecological principles. He proposes that our technologies could evolve in harmony with living systems rather than in isolation from them.

SOFT ROBOTICS: WHY SOFT?

Soft robots are autonomous systems primarily made of materials with moduli similar to soft biological tissues (Rus and Tolley, 2015).

"Soft" describes the robot’s structure, with soft materials essential for building flexible bodies. Conventional materials, like metals and hard plastics, have moduli of 10⁹–10¹² Pa, whereas natural organisms, such as skin and muscle tissue, range from 10⁴–10⁹ Pa (Rus and Tolley, 2015).

HOW CAN THEY BEHAVE?

    𖡎 Locomotion

Soft robots can move by adapting their shape, allowing them to crawl, squeeze, and navigate challenging terrains, making them ideal for exploration.

    𖡎 Manipulation

Soft robots can gently handle delicate or irregular objects, useful in fields like agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare.

    𖡎 Medical and Wearable Applications

Soft robotics in wearables and medical devices aids mobility and allows minimally invasive procedures, with flexible exosuits and gentle surgical tools.

    𖡎 Soft Cyborgs

Soft cyborgs integrate living tissue with soft robotic components, improving prosthetics and organ support by mimicking natural flexibility and movement.

MOSFET

Mosfet explained here.

The Arduino code for Adafruit Flora board to power our circuit and the motor.

int poten=10;
int gate=9;
int mapPot;
int valuePot;

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  pinMode(poten, INPUT);
  pinMode(gate, OUTPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
  valuePot=analogRead(poten); 
  Serial.println(valuePot); 
  mapPot=map(valuePot, 0, 1023, 0, 255);
  analogWrite(gate, mapPot);

}

VINYL INFLATABLE

ALL U NEED

    𖡎 Baking paper
    𖡎 Thermoadesive vinyl
    𖡎 Heat press machine
    𖡎 Plastic tube

STEPS

    𖡎 Cut a shape from baking paper, leaving a small opening for the plastic tube.
    𖡎 Set the heat press to the temperature on the vinyl packaging.
    𖡎 Place a large sheet of baking paper on the heat press base.
    𖡎 Put the vinyl on the baking paper, with your cut baking paper shape between two vinyl layers.
    𖡎 Cover with another baking paper sheet.
    𖡎 Press down for the recommended time; it will release automatically.
    𖡎 Check the vinyl edges are sealed—if not, press again briefly.
    𖡎 Cut out the shape, insert the plastic tube, and blow to inflate!

SILICONE INFLATABLE

ALL U NEED

    𖡎 Mold (you can create your own design on Grasshopper and 3D print it; I decided to use the one we already had in class as I found it very interesting)
    𖡎 Liquid Silicone Rubber Dragon Skin or Ecoflex.
    𖡎 Plastic measuring cups
    𖡎 Wooden spoon
    𖡎 Plastic sheet (try to use embossed texture film or diffraction film)
    𖡎 Plastic tube

STEPS

    𖡎 Mix the liquid silicone in 1:1 ratio (I used around 100ml:100ml).
    𖡎 Add colourant (I added iron to achieve black colour).
    𖡎 Mix them together slowly to avoid bubbles.
    𖡎 Pour the silicone mix into the center of the mold, using a wooden spoon to spread it into the corners.
    𖡎 Pour the remaining mixture onto a plastic sheet in a shape similar to the mold; this will form the bottom layer.
    𖡎 Let it set for about 4 hours.
    𖡎 Once set, carefully peel the silicone molds off the plastic sheet and 3D model.
    𖡎 Use freshly mixed silicone to bind the edges of the top and bottom sheets, leaving the air gaps clear.
    𖡎 Let it set again.

Difference between Ecoflex and Dragon Skin.

Top and bottom layer of silicone drying.

Process (creating 2 seprate pieces + gluing them together).

REFERENCES

    𖡎 Benyus, J.M. (2002) Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. New York, Ny: Perennial.
    𖡎 Das, S., Bhowmick, M., Chattopadhyay, S. K., & Basak, S. (2015) Application of biomimicry in textiles. Current Science, 109(5), 893–901. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24905772