10 accepted papers
We create a virtual 2D tactile array for soft pneumatic actuators using embedded audio components. We detect contact-specific changes in sound modulation to infer tactile information. We evaluate different sound representations and learning methods to detect even small contact variations. We demonst…
We present an active acoustic sensor that turns soft pneumatic actuators into contact sensors. The whole surface of the actuator becomes a sensor, rendering the question of where best to place a contact sensor unnecessary. At the same time, the compliance of the soft actuator remains unaffected. A s…
The space of all possible deformations of soft robotic actuators is extremely large. It is impossible to explicitly measure each internal degree of freedom, regardless of the number and types of sensors. It is, however, possible to measure a smaller subset of task-relevant deformations using only a…
We propose a novel sensing method for soft pneumatic actuators. The method uses a single microphone, embedded into the actuator's air chamber. Contact with the environment induces sound (vibration) in the actuator. The materials and the shape of the actuator reflect, refract, and attenuate the sound…
The compliance of soft actuators makes manipulation safer and simplifies control. But their high flexibility also makes sensorization challenging. From the large space of possible deformations not all are equally important. We present a method for sensorization of soft actuators that, for a given ap…
To leverage soft hands to their full potential for grasping, we propose to design their morphology and control signals together. Considering both parameter domains makes it easier and faster to find solutions compared to fixing parameters of either domain. Additionally, the approach scales well to h…
Handshakes are common greetings, and humans therefore have strong priors of what a handshake should feel like. This makes it challenging to create compelling and realistic human-robot handshakes, necessitating the consideration of human haptic perception in the design of robot hands. At its most bas…
In many robotic applications, softness leads to improved performance, robustness, and safety, while lowering manufacturing cost, increasing versatility, and simplifying control. The advantages of soft robots derive from the fact that their behavior partially results from interactions of the robot's…
We describe the winning entry to the Amazon Picking Challenge. From the experience of building this system and competing in the Amazon Picking Challenge, we derive several conclusions: 1) We suggest to characterize robotic systems building along four key aspects, each of them spanning a spectrum of…
The ability to selectively stiffen otherwise compliant soft actuators increases their versatility and dexterity. We investigate granular jamming and layer jamming as two possible methods to achieve stiffening with PneuFlex actuators, a type of soft continuum actuator. The paper details five designs…