This review comprises a detailed survey of ongoing methodologies for soft actuators, highlighting approaches suitable for nanometer- to centimeter-scale robotic applications. Soft robots present a special design challenge in that their actuation and sensing mechanisms are often highly integrated with the robot body and overall functionality. When less than a centimeter, they belong to an even more special subcategory of robots or devices, in that they often lack on-board power, sensing, computation, and control. Soft, active materials are particularly well suited for this task, with a wide range of stimulants and a number of impressive examples, demonstrating large deformations, high motion complexities, and varied multifunctionality. Recent research includes both the development of new materials and composites, as well as novel implementations leveraging the unique properties of soft materials.

Soft Actuators for Small-Scale Robotics.

The authors acknowledge generous support of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The authors acknowledge Dr. Joanna M. Nassar, Dr. Galo A. Torres, Dr. Mohamed T. Ghoneim, Andres A. Aguirre-Pablo, Davide Priante, Dr. Jhonathan P. Rojas, Sigurdur T. Thoroddsen, and Prof. Boon S. Ooi who contributed to the “pause-embed-resume” data. The authors thank Kelly Rader for proof reading this manuscript.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aisy.202000128

Soft Actuators for Soft Robotic Applications: A Review

Design of compliant mechanisms using continuum topology optimization: A review

A review of continuous contact-force models in multibody dynamics

\n Flexure-based compliant mechanisms are becoming increasingly promising in precision engineering, robotics, and other applications due to the excellent advantages of no friction, no backlash, no wear, and minimal requirement of assembly. Because compliant mechanisms have inherent coupling of kinematic-mechanical behaviors with large deflections and/or complex serial-parallel configurations, the kinetostatic and dynamic analyses are challenging in comparison to their rigid-body counterparts. To address these challenges, a variety of techniques have been reported in a growing stream of publications. This paper surveys and compares the conceptual ideas, key advances, and applicable scopes, and open problems of the state-of-the-art kinetostatic and dynamic modeling methods for compliant mechanisms in terms of small and large deflections. Future challenges are discussed and new opportunities for extended study are highlighted as well. The presented review provides a guide on how to select suitable modeling approaches for those engaged in the field of compliant mechanisms.

/pdf/kinetostatic-and-dynamic-modeling-of-flexure-based-compliant-1slw5ldbnk.pdf

Kinetostatic and Dynamic Modeling of Flexure-Based Compliant Mechanisms: A Survey

A new topology optimization method for planar compliant parallel mechanisms

Design of fully decoupled compliant mechanisms with multiple degrees of freedom using topology optimization

A CPRBM-based method for large-deflection analysis of contact-aided compliant mechanisms considering beam-to-beam contacts

\n The nonlinear analysis and design of contact-aided compliant mechanisms (CCMs) are challenging. This paper presents a nonlinear method for analyzing the deformation of general beams that contact rigid surfaces in CCMs. The large deflection of the general beam is modeled by using the chained pseudo-rigid-body model. A geometry constraint from the contact surface is developed to constrain the beam’s deformed configuration. The contact analysis problem is formulated based on the principle of minimum potential energy and solved using an optimization algorithm. Besides, a novel technique based on the principle of work and energy is proposed to calculate the reaction force/moment of displacement-loaded cases. Several analysis examples of the compliant mechanisms with straight or curved beams are used to verify the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method and technique can evaluate the deformation of beam-based CCMs and the reaction force/moment with acceptable accuracy, respectively.

Large-Deflection Analysis of General Beams in Contact-Aided Compliant Mechanisms Using Chained Pseudo-Rigid-Body Model

/pdf/jacobian-based-topology-optimization-method-using-an-3tcbvdimh3.pdf

Jin Mohui

Papers

A new topology optimization method for planar compliant parallel mechanisms

Design of fully decoupled compliant mechanisms with multiple degrees of freedom using topology optimization

A CPRBM-based method for large-deflection analysis of contact-aided compliant mechanisms considering beam-to-beam contacts

Large-Deflection Analysis of General Beams in Contact-Aided Compliant Mechanisms Using Chained Pseudo-Rigid-Body Model

Jacobian-Based Topology Optimization Method Using an Improved Stiffness Evaluation