8. Soft robotics¶
Research¶
Soft robotics focuses on making robots from pliable materials that allow them to bend and return to their original shapes. These robots are often biocompatible and can adapt to complex environments — including human interaction — with minimal damage or risk. They’re actuated in unique ways — from air or fluid pressurization to electrical signals and heat stimuli — by sources typically found outside of their body. These actuation systems control how the soft bot moves, determining its range of motion and how it interacts with its surroundings.Via Built in
Unlike traditional robots — which are assembled out of hard, metallic components and designed to perform precise, repetitive tasks with speed and strength — soft robots are highly adaptable to dynamic scenarios and can interact safely with humans or delicate objects. And instead of rigid motors, soft robots use alternative actuation methods, like inflatable chambers, heat or magnets, to create movement.
Their gentle touch makes soft robots essential for human-centric applications. Aside from joining human workers as cobots in warehouses and on factory assembly lines, their dexterity enables delicate exploring “inside and around the human body” for medical use, said Jacqueline Libby, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, where she also directs the Robotics Systems for Health Lab. In healthcare, soft robots are used to build prosthetic limbs, assist in surgery and embedded into soft suit exoskeletons that can restore mobility for stroke and ALS patients, for example.
weekly assignment
- Document the concept, sketches, references (also to artistic and scientific articles)
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Make a soft robotic sample, develop the pattern for the Inflatable and draw a sketch of the air flow:
- build a pneumatic wrist brace (basic level) or
- build a Soft Gripper (intermediate level) or
- build and document a Pneumatic, digitally controlled system, electronics schematic, electronic control and code (advanced level) -design your own version of an inflatable / soft robot
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Experiment with different materials, such as silicone, 3d printing, parchment paper, thermoadesive vynil, TPU fabrics, bioplastic, document your achievements and unexpected outcomes
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Make a small video of your inflatable/soft robot working
- Upload your digital design files (if any)
- Build the electronic circuit to control your inflatable/soft robot (extra credit)
get inspired!
Check out and research alumni pages to betetr understand how to document and get inspired
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Materials comparison - Julija Karas - FabLab Bcn
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Artistic intervention - Riley Cox - TextileLab Amsterdam
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Making the invisible visible - Montserrat Sitges
References & Inspiration¶
There are two former Fabricademy students that inspire me. The first is the work of Montserrat Sitges; she is an artist, designer, marketer, and Fab Academy rock star. Her final project from Fabricademy, making the invisible visible, is an awesome project where I found the idea of self-transforming beings very interesting.
- Two images side-by-side
Tools¶
- Vinyl cutter
- Iron
- Heat Press
- Precision scale
- 3D printer / laser cutter
- Soldering iron
- Soft silicon Smooth On
Projects¶
The Bubblecroc¶
Jibbitz are small decorations that are placed on crocs shoes and are used to brighten them up and add a cheerful touch of color.
I came up with an idea to make the Crocs Jibbitz more fun. What if we could animate a Jibbitz when we walk?¶
The solution I propose is to create an element that inflates and deflates as one walks and is inflated by the person's weight, so I designed and added a small air bulb in the heel that connects to the bubble piece in the toe, inflating and deflating the device when walking. Can you imagine how much fun it can be for a child?
Since the specific weight of smooth on silicon is similar to water I filled the mold with water and wight it to obtain the amount of silicon needed to make the mold.
Finally I obtained the molds with a minimum amount of wasted silicon. This is important because it is very expensive.
To make the mold cover, I simply spread a thin layer of silicone on the table, let it dry for a moment, placed the silicone molds on the table, and waited for the curing time.
I used a cannula from a venipuncture kit to connect the model that inflates over the croc and the bulb that I placed under the heel to inflate and deflate.
To insert the cannula into the models, I made a small hole with a needle in the model. Then I cut the cannula into a V shape and, with the help of a long needle, I inserted it into both models so they would be connected.
Finally I place it on the croc an the fun began!
Tentaclebot¶
The octopus is a fascinating creature. Since it has no skeleton and consists almost exclusively of soft muscles, it is considered to be extremely flexible and mobile. As a result, not only can it maneuver and swim in all directions, it can also grip a wide variety of objects in a form-fitting manner. This phenomenon is now adopted by the TentacleGripper. The bionic gripper consists of a soft silicone structure that can be controlled pneumatically. When it is supplied with compressed air, the tentacle bends inwards and can wrap itself around the item to be gripped in a form-fitting and gentle manner.
As with its natural role model, two rows of suction cups are attached to the inside of the silicone tentacles. While the small suction cups at the gripper tip have a passive effect, a vacuum can be applied to the larger suction cups, causing the object to adhere securely to the gripper. This allows the TentacleGripper to take up and hold a variety of different shapes.
I wanted to use the same principle to make a fun, soft tentacle robot that could be used as a pocket accesory
I designed in Solidworks the inners of the tentacle and printed it in soft TPU
The tentacle did not work since the TPU material falls apart with the flexion. So I decided to change my strategy and build someting like this animatronic:
I started by designing the soft oputside of the tentacle and sublimate the design
Unfortunately, the size of the robot I was pretending to make is too small, and parts are very difficult to manufacture and assemble. So I decided to pause the project.
The foldable extravaganza¶
I did another experiment with metallized polyethylene to make folding robots. I used the metallized polyethylene from snack bags, washed them, and then sealed them with a blunt tip of a soldering iron at 200 degrees Celsius.
I blunted an old tip of a soldering iron. This was because I used a pointy tip and the result was awful.
The result was very successful. As you can see in the video, the foldable robot works nicely!
Next step is to install the iron tip on a robot. That project will be done soon.
