Soft robotics¶

1. Objective¶

2. A bit of theory¶

2.1 What is a soft robot?¶

I knew absolutely nothing about the field of soft robotics. So I carefully followed the lecture from Lily Chambers and Adriana Cabrera², which you can find here. Here are the key points I took away from it:

• Soft robotics is a subfield of robotics
• It involves working with flexible materials such as plastic, silicone, rubber, and polymers
• A soft robot moves in response to a signal. The signal can be physical (pressure, vibration, movement), thermal (hot, cold), chemical, light-based, or sound-based
• The process of setting a soft robot in motion is called soft actuation
• Actuation can serve various purposes:
  • moving the robot
  • grab an object
• Fields of application: industry, medicine, agriculture, architecture, the arts,

2.1 Soft Robotics in a FabLab¶

Adriana Cabrera's presentation² features several tutorials that can easily be completed in a few days at a fablab.

Actuation with air¶

The idea is to create a funnel that allows air to pass through. Depending on the funnel's design and the object's design, a certain movement will be created. Thus, by modifying these two designs, we can alter the resulting movement.
Air actuation can be achieved in various ways:

• heat sealing with the vinyl cutter
• TPU sheet welded with laser cutter
• 3D print mold and silicone casting
• laser cut mold and silicone casting
• Folding with origami

In addition to the presentation, I found several very interesting tutorials.
Here is a tutorial that explains, step by step, how to make a silicone gripper.

Actuation with magnet - Origami¶

2. Inspirations¶

Ying Gao¶

The project In Camera by Ying Gao is an interactive garment that reacts when it is photographed. Inspired by the aperture mechanism of a camera lens, the textile opens and contracts in response to the viewer's gaze. Through movement, the garment appears almost alive, transforming from a passive object into an active participant in the interaction. The project demonstrates how soft robotics can give textiles responsive and expressive behaviors.

In Camera - Ynig Gao

I really love this project, as well as all of Ying Gao’s work. She manages to make us completely forget about the technology behind her work. All we see is delicacy and poetry. What’s more, her creations invite us to reflect on our clothing consumption.

Saskia Helinski¶

Here we see Saskia Helinska’s final project from the 2021–2022 Fabricademy. She explored inflatables as visual and haptic actuators. To do so, she used two techniques: silicone molding and casting, and heat welding.

Alumni pages¶

Here are some works by several former students that I find particularly inspiring. They give you an idea of how to move from a tutorial to a more artistic and personal project.

• Julija Karas - FabLab Bcn
• Riley Cox - TextileLab Amsterdam
• Viviane Labelle - EchoFab

2. Personnal ideas¶

I really like puffy shapes and balloons. I also like the shape of the body.
Here are a few ideas I found on Pinterest.

I also sketched out several ideas that came to me during the presentation and my research. I'm looking forward to a week full of fun and laughter. So I'm really inspired by smiley faces and Westling's bubble lamp.

3. Tools¶

4. Process and workflow¶

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4.1 Step 1¶

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4.2 Step 2¶

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4.3 Step 3¶

...

5. Results¶

5.1 Code¶

Use the three backticks to separate code.

// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
  // initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
}

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6. Weekly reflection & critical thinking¶

• What did I learn? What did I personally find interesting or surprised me?
• What would I do differently? If something "failed" do I know how else to tackle it now?"
• How does this connect to my final project or my learning trajectory?
• What are implications and possible applications, think also from the ethical or environmental aspect, how it could connect to your practice and project?

7. Fabrication files & References¶