28 accepted papers
Embeddable strain sensors are typically deployed to measure a single mode of deformation and thus require additional sensor units for multiple degree of freedom (DOF) sensing. In this work, a low-cost capacitive-based soft sensor capable of multi DOF sensing is developed for soft robotic systems and
Although rigid exoskeletons can strengthen human capabilities or provide full assistance to patients with disabilities, their rigidity may constrain natural movement, developing tissue damage in long-term usage. Soft and semi-soft exoskeletons and exosuits exhibit both compliance and comfort, and of
The inherent elasticity of soft materials can be used to create robotic grippers that deform and comply to a variety of irregular shapes. To date, several soft adaptive grasping strategies have been reported, however, most of them focus on adapting to the overall shape of the structure, while the ad…
Soft devices employ variable stiffness to ensure safety and improve the robustness in the interaction between robots and objects. Using soft materials is one of the most popular approaches to design a variable-stiffness device, while the use of silicone sponge remains less explored in this field. He…
Teleoperation has widely contributed to many applications. Consequently, the design of intuitive and ergonomic control interfaces for teleoperation has become crucial. The rapid advancement of Mixed Reality (MR) has yielded tangible benefits in human-robot interaction. MR provides an immersive envir
Suction is widely used in industry, but the adaptation of state-of-the-art suction cups on complex surfaces (i.e., curved, cornered, uneven, rough, etc.) are still limited. In this letter, we present a novel shape-conformable suction mechanism to achieve highly-adaptive suction on complex surfaces.
Unstructured environments call for versatile robots with adaptable morphology that can perform multiple goal-directed actions including locomotion in confined spaces, environmental mapping, object retrieval and object manipulation. In response to these challenges, we present the Polyflex design conc
Suction adhesion is widely used by natural organisms for gripping irregular objects (e.g., rocks), but their artificial counterparts show less adaptation in the same situation. In addition, they can require complex sensing and control systems to function. In this paper, we present a contact-triggere
Upper limb impairments and weakness are com-mon post-stroke and with advanced aging. Rigid exoskeletons have been developed as a potential solution, but have had limited impact. In addition to user concerns about safety, their weight and appearance, the rigid attachment and typical anchoring methods…
The high potential impact of soft robotics is hampered by a lack of actuators that combine high-force, high-work and high-power capabilities, limiting application in real-world problems. Typically, soft actuators are tuned to an application by gearing - for example, trading power for strain. An exam
Widespread adoption of soft robotic technologies is held back by the limitations of existing soft robotic actuators. One cause of the limited performance of soft actuators is their uni-polar stroke, which means only part of the work-cycle is powered. In this work, we introduce RoboHeart, a bi-direct
Electroadhesion is a versatile and controllable adhesion mechanism that has been used extensively in robotics. Soft electroadhesion embodies electrostatic adhesion in soft materials and is required for shape-adaptive and safe grasping of curved objects and delicate materials. In this work, we presen…
Upper limb robotic prosthetic devices currently lack adequate sensory feedback, contributing to a high rejection rate. Incorporating affective sensory feedback into these devices reduces phantom limb pain and increases control and acceptance. To address the lack of sensory feedback we present the B:
Snails’ unique locomotion abilities help them realise stable movement by muscular exploiting travelling waves and friction modulation. Inspired by these characteristics, snaillike robots have recently become the focus of growing research. In this paper, we present a novel friction-driven three-foot…
While there are many soft matter sensing and actuation technologies, there is far less choice when it comes to soft material devices for control and computation. One solution is the Soft Matter Computer (SMC) which can perform both analogue and digital computations in soft materials. This computer p
Autonomous navigation methods can prevent robots becoming trapped between obstacles and ensure that they take the most efficient route. As mobile robots have a limited power supply, selecting the most efficient route is crucial. This letter presents a path-planning method for morphing soft robots in
Actuators are essential devices that exert force and do work. The contraction of an actuator (how much it can shorten) is an important property that strongly influences its applications, especially in engineering and robotics. While high contractions have been achieved by thermally- or fluidically-d…
In this letter, we investigate the viability of capacitance self-sensing of electro-ribbon actuators, allowing them to be used simultaneously as an actuator and a sensor. Initially the electro-ribbon actuator was implemented only as a sensor, and it was found that the exponential relationship betwee
CCD camera-based tactile sensors provide high-resolution information about the deformation of soft and elastic interfaces. However, they have poor scalibility as it is difficult to sense a large surface area without increasing the distance between the camera and the interface or using multiple proce…
Currently, the majority of wearable robotic haptic feedback devices rely on vibrations for relaying sensory information to the user. While this can be very effective, vibration as a physical stimulation is limited in modality and is uncommon in the natural world. In many cases, for human-robot and h
Current electroadhesion (EA) grippers cannot be used to lift objects with limited contact areas. Current electromagnetic adhesion (MA) grippers cannot be used to grip nonferrous materials. Here, we combine EA and MA into a monolithic, electrically controllable, flexible, and hybrid electro/magneto-a
Soft structures in nature endow organisms across scales with the ability to drastically deform their bodies and exhibit complex behaviors while overcoming challenges in their environments. Inspired by microstructures found in the cell membranes of the Euglena family of microorganisms, which exhibit
Various physical phenomena have been used to develop variable-stiffness (VS) materials and structures, but all have involved some elements of manual fabrication, which limits their applications. In contrast, here we show fully three-dimensional (3D) printed monolithic VS structures that can be used
Being aware of our body has great importance in our everyday life. It helps us to complete difficult tasks, such as movement in a dark room or grasping a complex object. These skills are important for robots as well, however, robotic bodily awareness is still an open question, and the nonlinearity o…
Tactile sensing is required for human-like control with robotic manipulators. Multimodality is an essential component for these tactile sensors, for robots to achieve both the perceptual accuracy required for precise control, as well as the robustness to maintain a stable grasp without causing damag
Robots that exploit their embodiment promise to be more robust, energy-efficient, and adaptable. However, the majority of systems designed in this way are only capable of exploiting their embodiment when performing a single task in a single environment. For such robots to be capable of adapting to a
Nature has exploited softness and compliance in many different forms, from large cephalopods to microbial bacteria and algae. In all these cases, large body deformations are used for both object manipulation and locomotion. The great potential of soft robotics is to capture and replicate these capab
We present a design for an energetically autonomous artificial organism, combining two subsystems; a bio-inspired energy source and bio-inspired actuation. The work is the first demonstration of energetically autonomy in a microbial fuel cell (MFC)-powered, swimming robot taking energy from it's sur…