Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2023 APS March Meeting
Volume 68, Number 3
Las Vegas, Nevada (March 5-10)
Virtual (March 20-22); Time Zone: Pacific Time
Session Q14: Functionality through Nonlinearity in Soft Robotics
3:00 PM–6:00 PM,
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Room: Room 206
Sponsoring
Unit:
DSOFT
Chair: Douglas Tree, Brigham Young University; Benjamin Gorissen, KU Leuven
Abstract: Q14.00010 : Fluidic memory and sensing for autonomous soft robots*
4:48 PM–5:00 PM
Presenter:
Alberto Comoretto
(AMOLF)
Authors:
Alberto Comoretto
(AMOLF)
Johannes B Overvelde
(AMOLF)
We use a soft hysteretic valve to cyclically actuate a soft robotic limb. We develop a bi-stable pneumatic capacitor to enable two discrete behaviors for the oscillator: a high-frequency state and a low-frequency state. We then implement a memory circuit that enables switching between the two states upon opening and closing of air channels, both in a long-term and a short-term fashion. To provide useful fluidic inputs to the circuit, we develop a touch sensor based on kinking tubes. Finally, we demonstrate the potential of our approach by embedding the memory and sensing elements on a crawling soft robot. The robot changes direction upon interaction with the environment, exploring unknown spaces autonomously.
Our work shines light on the opportunities given by the integration of non-linear mechanics into fluidic circuits, towards simple yet useful behaviors in soft robots, such as autonomy.
*ERC-2020-STG - ERC STARTING GRANT - FlowBot https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/948132
Follow Us |
Engage
Become an APS Member |
My APS
Renew Membership |
Information for |
About APSThe American Physical Society (APS) is a non-profit membership organization working to advance the knowledge of physics. |
© 2024 American Physical Society
| All rights reserved | Terms of Use
| Contact Us
Headquarters
1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844
(301) 209-3200
Editorial Office
100 Motor Pkwy, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 591-4000
Office of Public Affairs
529 14th St NW, Suite 1050, Washington, D.C. 20045-2001
(202) 662-8700