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Soft robotics driven by origami can fundamentally advance robotic functionalities by significantly improving continuum, compliance, and configurability. Here, a new field is proposed, "paper robotics," which is based on moisture‐responsive self‐folding of paper substrates into functional 3D machines using origami‐inspired techniques. By properly designing a hydrophobic wax layer and a hygro‐expandable hydrophilic layer, printed bilayer paper will fold automatically into desired shapes through anisotropic swelling that occurs when water is sprayed on the structure. The bilayer actuators can be readily fabricated on paper by the asymmetrical penetration of wax that is printed on both sides of the paper. The patterned paper automatically folds when water is added and unfolds as the water evaporates. The structure can perform various mechanical functions, including gripping and biomimetic locomotion. One of the practical applications, a kirigami paper robotic finger as an electrical switch, is also demonstrated. The functional mechanism based on the swelling and shrinking properties of paper is modeled and critical parameters for the design of the bilayer actuation are thoroughly characterized. This work will be a starting point for paper robotics and open new avenues to merge soft robotics and origami techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Origami structures held promise for their flexibility, simultaneous responsiveness, and adaptability, yet they are vulnerable due to the hygroscopic property when exposed to the humid environments. However, the patterning of hydrophobic material along the design enhances the controllability of paper for self-folding to robotics locomotion. The capillary action of sprayed water molecules is localized through the number or sizes of hydrophilic channels defined by the printed wax patterns resulting in large deformation to form various 3D geometries. The patterned paper performed folding actuation with water and unfolding behavior with evaporation without being mechanically manipulated by external forces or moments. The paper actuators further enable the sequential self-folding along the multiple hinges for the cube and diamond structures. Advances in soft robotics for practical applications, the utilization of different swelling/shrinking properties with water and kirigami-inspired programmable structures interact with the lightweight and non-planar objects. The anisotropic properties of paper in response to water spraying combined with folding/unfolding deformations permit the fold-to-pop-up robots for biomimetic locomotion on the plane or water. Two robots deform their body to move forward through bending-relaxation gait. [2020-0083] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing is a popular control system testing method because it bridges the gap between modeling/simulation and experiments. Instead of designing a full hardware-based experiment to validate the results of a simulation, the plant hardware can be replaced with an emulator device that responds to exogenous inputs and effectively emulates the dynamic behavior of a system. This approach can be more cost-effective and modular, since the emulated plant system can be modeled in a simulation environment, implemented on a simplified piece of hardware and changed quickly without having to fabricate new parts. This paper develops the hardware and control scheme for a certain type of HIL device called a dynamic load emulator that consists of a 1-DOF linear hydraulic dynamometer equipped with in-line sensing to measure both its own position and the force exerted on it by a device-under-test. This measured force is passed to a real-time model of the emulated dynamic system. The model outputs the emulated system position, and a closed-loop controller is used to emulate this position. The emulator controller incorporates both model-based feedforward and standard feedback PI control. This paper characterizes the dynamometer-based dynamic load emulator and its controller, determining its hardware limitations and validating its capabilities when experiencing a force input from a linear spring with known parameters. Additionally, this paper demonstrates the ability of the emulator to represent the dynamics of a 1-DOF robotic joint when actuated by a pair of fluidic artificial muscles (FAMs). The primary contribution of this work is to allow for more comprehensive testing of FAM configurations, topologies, and controllers for a wide range of parameters, because the same hardware can be used to emulate multiple systems. As a result, this work will lead to more cost-effective, time-efficient, and energy-efficient designs of robotic systems and the FAMs used to actuate them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrohydraulic soft actuators are a promising soft actuation technology for constructing bio-inspired underwater robots owing to the features of this technology such as large deformations and forces, fast responses, and high electromechanical efficiencies. However, this actuation technology requires high voltages, thereby limiting the use of these actuators in water and hindering the development of underwater robots. This paper describes a method for creating bio-inspired underwater robots using silicone-layered electrohydraulic soft actuators. The silicone layer functions as an insulator, enabling the application of high voltages underwater. Moreover, bending and linear actuation can be achieved by applying the silicone layers on one or both sides of the actuator. As a proof of concept, bending and linear actuators with planar dimensions of 20 mm χ 40 mm (length χ width) are fabricated and characterized. Underwater actuation is observed in both types of actuators. The bending actuators exhibit a bending angle and blocked force of 39.0° and 9.6 mN, respectively, at an applied voltage of 10 kV. Further, the linear actuators show a contraction strain and blocked force of 6.6% and 956.1 mN, respectively, at an applied voltage of 10 kV. These actuators are tested at a depth near the surface of water. This ensured that they can operate at least at that depth. The actuators are subsequently used to implement various soft robotic devices such as a ray robot, a fish robot, a water-surface sliding robot, and a gripper. All of the robots exhibit movements as expected; up to 31.2 mm/s (0.91 body length/s) of locomotion speed is achieved by the swimming robots and a retrieve and place task is performed by the gripper. The results obtained in this study indicate the successful implementation of the actuator concept and its high potential for constructing bio-inspired underwater robots and soft robotics applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To successfully implement circular economy processes into present value chains, economic feasibility of disassembly processes is essential. Current developments in science and technology, such as artificial intelligence and Internet of Things, foster steep progression in the field of robotics. In this review, the current research on robotics in disassembly is investigated by a systematic literature review. The results were clustered in a framework system distinguishing between applied and basic research on the two main streams of disassembly automation research, namely, predefined processes and adaptable, flexible automation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses how the disciplines of Design and Engineering are jointly addressing disability and somehow affecting its very interpretation. The discussion focuses on high-tech prostheses, where robotic devices substitute human body parts. The application of robotic technologies to prosthetics has a relatively long history. Nevertheless, only in the last decade have we witnessed applications reach the market and become available for a large base of users who were offered prostheses with superior motor and sensory performance. The process of bringing ever more advanced technologies to fruition by prosthetic users is fully ongoing today, with some promising solutions coming from robotics (such as, e.g. AI techniques or soft robotics materials) to be transferred to human use. In this transfer process, technology alone is insufficient to warrant success, and the need for a close collaboration between the Engineering domain and the Design disciplines is apparent. We address this point with specific reference to a case study, i.e. the transformation of an innovative but by-now established technology in the industrial robotics field (the "Pisa/IIT SoftHand") into a prosthetic hand (the "SoftHand Pro"). Besides obvious technical considerations about size, connections, control, and so on, which can be addressed with a thorough technical revision of the design, what makes the profound difference between the two devices is that, as a prosthesis, the SoftHand is intended as a human body part, and not as an external tool. To reach its ultimate goals, the hand should become a part of the human user, with his body and mind. The empirical approach and tools of Designers afford the possibility to enrich the re-design process, considering the final user at the centre of the process, in a sort of renewed humanistic approach. The paper reflects this multidisciplinary approach and is structured as follows: the first part describes a cultural framework for the use of high-technology upper limb prostheses. This culture is defined through two significant relations (Users & Society; Users & Device). Inputs come from desk research conducted in different fields, ranging from Social Psychology to Medicine and Rehabilitation area. In this scenario, it is possible to extract design insights applicable to the design brief. The introduction of a robotic prosthetic hand (SoftHand Pro) and a related, single-user case study follow. The aim here is also to illustrate a process where engineering innovations are facilitated by tools from the Design field in the attempt to make the whole process coherently centred on users. Involved are all aspects, from material technology to the covering and finishing of the prosthetic device. The resulting, final prototype of the SoftHand Pro is finally presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of soft robotics is rapidly progressing toward applications including; wearable electronics, prosthetics, and biomedical devices. This is leading to demand for flexible, embedded high‐performance strain sensors to deliver real‐time feedback on the static configurations and dynamic motions of these robotic devices, to ultimately enable the levels of autonomous control and structural monitoring required for intelligent manipulation. Herein, aerosol jet printing (AJP) technology is utilized to generate arbitrary piezoresistive strain sensor layouts on fibrous paper suitable for direct integration into elastomeric soft robots. A custom graphene nanoplatelet ink with a viscosity of around 2.70 cP has been formulated for optimized atomization and patterning of conductive traces via AJP. Single and multilayer printing onto different paper substrates are explored; with the nominal resistance of the printed tracks varying from 272 to 4900 kΩ depending on paper type and number of layers. Maximum gauge factors of 24.2 ± 1.8 and 56.5 ± 4.5 are determined for sensor surfaces under tensile and compression modes, respectively. To demonstrate the possibility for direct integration of this approach for soft robotics, strain sensors are directly printed onto the strain‐limiting layer of a pneumatic soft robotic gripper, to provide continuous feedback of the gripper over curvatures up to 80 m−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soft, wearable, powered exoskeletons are novel devices that may assist rehabilitation, allowing users to walk further or carry out activities of daily living. However, soft robotic exoskeletons, and the more commonly used rigid exoskeletons, are not widely adopted clinically. The available evidence highlights a disconnect between the needs of exoskeleton users and the engineers designing devices. This review aimed to explore the literature on physiotherapist and patient perspectives of the longer-standing, and therefore greater evidenced, rigid exoskeleton limitations. It then offered potential solutions to these limitations, including soft robotics, from an engineering standpoint. Methods: A state-of-the-art review was carried out which included both qualitative and quantitative research papers regarding patient and/or physiotherapist perspectives of rigid exoskeletons. Papers were themed and themes formed the review's framework. Results: Six main themes regarding the limitations of soft exoskeletons were important to physiotherapists and patients: safety; a one-size-fits approach; ease of device use; weight and placement of device; cost of device; and, specific to patients only, appearance of the device. Potential soft-robotics solutions to address these limitations were offered, including compliant actuators, sensors, suit attachments fitting to user's body, and the use of control algorithms. Conclusions: It is evident that current exoskeletons are not meeting the needs of their users. Solutions to the limitations offered may inform device development. However, the solutions are not infallible and thus further research and development is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A main challenge in the additive manufacturing (AM) field is the possibility to create structures with embedded actuators and sensors: addressing this requirement would lead to a reduction of manual assembly tasks and product cost, pushing AM technologies into a new dimension for the fabrication of assembly-free smart objects. The main novelty of the present paper is the one shot fabrication of a 3D printed soft finger with an embedded shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator and two different 3D printed sensors (strain gauge and capacitive force sensor). 3D printed structures, fabricated with the proposed approach, can be immediately activated after their removal from the build plate, providing real-time feedback because of the embedded sensing units. Three different materials from two nozzles were extruded to fabricate the passive elements and sensing units of the proposed bioinspired robotic finger and a custom-made Cartesian pick and place robot (CPPR) was employed to integrate the SMA spring actuator into the 3D printed robotic finger during the fabrication processes. Another novelty of the present paper is the direct integration of SMA actuators during the 3D printing process. The low melting thermoplastic polycaprolactone (PCL) was extruded: its printing temperature of 70 °C is lower than the SMA austenitic start temperature, preventing the SMA activation during the manufacturing process. Two different sensors based on the piezoresistive principle and capacitive principle were studied, 3D printed and characterized, showing respectively a sensitivity ratio of change in resistance to finger bending angle to be 674.8 Ω ∘ Angle and a capacitance to force ratio of 0.53 pF N . The proposed manufacturing approach paves the way for significant advancement of AM technologies in the field of smart structures with embedded actuators to provide real-time feedback, offering several advantages, especially in the soft robotics domain. Highlights: • One shot fabrication of a smart bioinspired finger equipped with a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator, piezoresistive strain gauge and capacitive sensor • Automated integration of the SMA spring actuator during the 3D printing process by exploiting the low melting thermoplastic polycaprolactone and a pick and place robot • Study of the process parameters to reduce the 3D printed strain gauge resistance of 142% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike traditional hard grippers, soft robotic grippers are commonly made of soft materials so that the soft grippers can produce motion via elastic deformations of their compliant components. The advantages of compliance allow soft grippers to effectively eliminate shocks caused by hard contact, which usually occurs when a hard robotic gripper manipulates a hard object. Until now, the soft robotic grippers are able to operate numerous objects with irregular geometries and different textures. Besides, with the help of embedded sensors, soft robotic grippers have facilitated the growing automation of many tasks, which are thought to be far too delicate for robotic manipulation. This paper reviews the advancement in soft robotic grippers. The paper first introduces the actuation technologies followed by the design and fabrication techniques. The use of 3D printing techniques in the fabrication of the soft gripper is also discussed. The Review then highlights the challenges and future outlook in the fabrication of soft grippers and sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Figure 5 of this paper [[1]], the caption was revised with the permission from the publishers as "Expected application of DRL techniques in the task of navigation. In Figure 7 of this paper [[1]], the caption was revised with the permission from the publishers as "Soft Robot Simulation on SOFA using Soft-robotics toolkit. In Table 4 of this paper [[1]], the caption was revised with the permission from the publishers as, "Instances of bio-inspired soft robotics applications that make use DRL or Imitation Learning technologies. [Extracted from the article]

There is a growing demand for flexible pressure sensors in environmental monitoring and human–robot interaction robotics. A flexible and susceptible sensor can discriminate multidirectional pressure, thus effectively detecting signals of small environmental changes and providing solutions for personalized medicine. This paper proposes a multidimensional force detection sensor inspired by a wind chime structure with a three-dimensional force structure to detect and analyze normal and shear forces in real time. The force-sensing structure of the sensor consists of an upper and lower membrane on a polydimethylsiloxane substrate and four surrounding cylinders. A piezoelectric hemisphere is made of BTO/PVDF/PDMS composite material. The sensor columns in the wind chime structure surround the piezoelectric layer in the middle. When pressure is applied externally, the sensor columns are connected to the piezoelectric layer with a light touch. The piezoelectric hemisphere generates a voltage signal. Due to the particular structure of the sensor, it can accurately capture multidimensional forces and identify the direction of the external force by analyzing the position of the sensor and the output voltage amplitude. The development of such sensors shows excellent potential for self-powered wearable sensors, human–computer interaction, electronic skin, and soft robotics applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional rigid grippers that are used for underwater systems lack flexibility and have lower degrees of freedom. These systems might damage the underwater environment while conducting data acquisition and data sampling. Soft robotics, which is mainly focused on creating robots with extremely soft materials are more delicate for the grasping of objects underwater. These systems tend to damage the underwater ecosystem in the least possible way. In this paper, we have presented a simplified design of a soft arm inspired by the octopus arm actuated by coiled Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) using completely flexible lightweight material. The characterization arm performance under various load and input current conditions is shown. We hope this work will serve as a basis for the future of underwater grasping utilizing soft robotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to ISO/TR 23383, smart textiles reversibly interact with their environment and respond or adapt to changes in the environment. The present review and bibliometric analysis was performed on 5810 documents (1989–2022) from the Scopus database, using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny for science mapping. The results show that the field of smart textiles is highly interdisciplinary and dynamic, with an average growth rate of 22% and exponential growth in the last 10 years. Beeby, S.P., and Torah, R.N. have published the highest number of papers, while Wang, Z.L. has the highest number of citations. The leading journals are Sensors, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, and Textile Research Journal, while Advanced Materials has the highest number of citations. China is the country with the most publications and the most extensive cooperative relationships with other countries. Research on smart textiles is largely concerned with new materials and technologies, particularly in relation to electronic textiles. Recent research focuses on energy generation (triboelectric nanogenerators, thermoelectrics, Joule heating), conductive materials (MXenes, liquid metal, silver nanoparticles), sensors (strain sensors, self-powered sensors, gait analysis), speciality products (artificial muscles, soft robotics, EMI shielding), and advanced properties of smart textiles (self-powered, self-cleaning, washable, sustainable smart textiles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wirelessly actuated soft smart materials have great potential applications in real-world actuation and sensing in robotics and biomedical engineering. On the other hand, layered structures can gain more versatile and functional properties then conventional structures. This paper studies the photo- and magneto-responses of a layered beam consisting of liquid crystal elastomers and magnetic responsive elastomers. Based on the finite deformation theory and taking into account the coupling effect of light incidence angle and deformation, governing equation of the layered beam is derived and solved by a new numerical mothed. The results are validated by previous experimental data. It is found that the coupling effect of light incidence angle and the deformation of beam should be taken into account, especially for soft materials with large deformation. For example, neglecting the coupling effect of the light incidence angle and deformation, the maximum deflection of the cantilever beam will be underdetermined by 20.5%, if the light intensity reaches at 1.2 kW/m2. Whether the coupling effect of the light incidence angle and deformation enhances or reduces bending deformation of the beam depends on its boundary conditions and the initial light incidence angle. These results may be useful for designing photo- and magneto-responsive soft robotic and other functional devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to their small size, microrobots have many potential applications. In addition, four-dimensional (4D) printing facilitates reversible shape transformation over time or upon the application of stimuli. By combining the concept of microrobots and 4D printing, it may be possible to realize more sophisticated next-generation microrobot designs that can be actuated by applying various stimuli, and also demonstrates profound implications for various applications, including drug delivery, cells delivery, soft robotics, object release and others. Herein, recent advances in 4D-printed microrobots are reviewed, including strategies for facilitating shape transformations, diverse types of external stimuli, and medical and nonmedical applications of microrobots. Finally, to conclude the paper, the challenges and the prospects of 4D-printed microrobots are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible sensors are low cost, wearable, and lightweight, as well as having a simple structure as per the requirements of engineering applications. Furthermore, for many potential applications, such as human health monitoring, robotics, wearable electronics, and artificial intelligence, flexible sensors require high sensitivity and stretchability. Herein, this paper systematically summarizes the latest progress in the development of flexible sensors. The review briefly presents the state of the art in flexible sensors, including the materials involved, sensing mechanisms, manufacturing methods, and the latest development of flexible sensors in health monitoring and soft robotic applications. Moreover, this paper provides perspectives on the challenges in this field and the prospect of flexible sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This paper presents a model for educational robotics tools and a corresponding set of heuristics for their development and evaluation specifically adapted to the needs and expectations in formal education settings. Background: The increased use of educational robots in classrooms, and the steadily growing number of alternatives from which to choose, bring the requirement for appropriate methods to develop and evaluate these tools. Yet the current body of literature does not provide comprehensive frameworks that allow this question to be adequately addressed. Although previous research has studied the use of educational robotics in classrooms, there is still a lack of methods to support their development and evaluation. Intended Outcomes: An evaluation framework to support researchers, engineers, educators, and decision makers in taking informed decisions about educational robotics systems. Application Design: This paper proposes to consider activities involving educational robotics tools as a kind of “educational augmented tabletop game.” Within this framework, a set of fourteen heuristics was devised, based on literature on games and learning tools. The validity of these heuristics was examined with a heterogenous group of twelve school teachers, who tested five different educational robotics systems. Findings: The participating teachers had a high level of approval for the heuristics devised. A heuristic evaluation based on the framework proposed here appeared to more appropriately reflecting the teachers’ needs than did conventional methods, namely the isolated comparison of system characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft-robotics for biomedical applications, such as rehabilitation robots, is a field of intense research activity. Different actuation solutions have been proposed in the last decades, involving study and development of soft actuators of different types and materials. The purpose of the paper is to present procedures for an optimized design, and for easy and low cost production and characterization of monolithic PneuNets soft-actuators. An innovative design approach has been developed. The parameterization of the geometry, combined with FEM simulations is the basis for an optimized design of the actuator, as a function of the obtained bending and of the generated forces. Simple and cheap characterization setup and procedures have been identified for the actuator characterization and for simulation results validation. An easy and low-cost fabrication method based on lost wax core obtained through a silicone based mold has been developed for a monolithic PneuNets soft-actuator. The proposed solution performs well in bending, without the need for a strain limiting layer. Experimental results validated simulations, confirming the feasibility of adopting an optimized simulation-based design approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many assembled products contain parts that are not rigid, and there is a large variety of such parts, which might be as different as cables, sheet metals, plastic covers, or foams. The assembly processes of such products may also involve non-rigidity in the tools used. Non-rigidity in the parts and tools adds additional degrees of freedom to the assembly processes and systems, which, on the one hand, adds engineering complexity, and on the other hand, may be the key for superior solutions. This paper reviews recent developments in models, methods, handling techniques, and control of such parts at the assembly station and systems levels with a main focus on applications related to the manufacturing industry. The core areas of knowledge addressed by this paper cover advanced models for non-rigid objects, process and system planning, new tooling, and new control concepts based on perception and human-robot interaction. More research work is expected in the field of modelling and perception due to the development of computer vision, robotics, and artificial intelligence. New advances on the processing and assembly hardware can also be expected due to the highly active research field of soft material robotics and high-payload-gripping with soft material versatility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking a leaf out of evolutionary biology, soft robots have begun to utilize compliant materials and structures for improved interactions with humans and complex environments. However, these advances have not been followed closely by sensing mechanisms. Biology has had a head start on the development of advanced sensing systems. The human body and its skeletal muscles can tune their morphologies to interact with the surrounding environment. Inspired by such biological systems, this paper introduces a novel hydraulic soft filament sensor (SFS) with tunable sensitivity. The SFS is a type of hydraulic pressure‐based tubular strain sensor, which has a sensing core made of a soft and stretchable micro‐sized filament filled with incompressible fluid where its inner hydraulic pressure is changed with strain. The SFS can be customized to form a wide range of configurations such as a long fiber or a skin‐like structure. To demonstrate the SFS capability, different configurations for the SFS are fabricated and experimentally validated. The scalable and tunable nature of the SFS makes it suitable for a wide range of wearable and medical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluidic logic circuits simplify system design for soft robotics by eliminating bulky components while enabling operation in a range of hostile environments that are incompatible with electronics but at the expense of limited computational capabilities and response times on the order of seconds. This paper presents a four-terminal fluidic transistor optimized for fast switching times, reduced component count, low unit cost, and high reproducibility to achieve complex fluidic control circuits while maintaining flow rates of liters per minute. A ring oscillator using three fluidic transistors achieves oscillation frequencies up to a kilohertz with full signal propagation, tolerating billions of cycles without failure. Fundamental processor circuits like a full adder and a 3-bit analog-to-digital converter require just seven transistors each. A decode circuit drives a high-resolution soft haptic display with refresh times below the human perception threshold for latency, and an electronics-free control circuit performs closed-loop position control of a pneumatic actuator with disturbance rejection, demonstrating the value across domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater manipulation with current robotics technology is a challenging task with significant limits in versatility and robustness terms. Such functionality has tremendous potential covering a broad spectrum of applications, mainly replacing divers performing hazardous jobs. Soft robotics provides an efficient solution for operating in these scenarios and adapting to uncertain environmental conditions. This paper presents the design and fabrication of a simple, low-cost, and easily deployable soft gripper for underwater manipulation. We use modelling and simulation techniques for designing the soft fluidic elastomer actuators that compose the soft gripper and additive manufacturing techniques for rapid test cycles and validation. These techniques allow for a fast redesign depending on the application requirements. The proposal combines materials and fabrication techniques to take advantage of their strengths. We validate the feasibility and ability of the proposed soft gripper in a challenging underwater scenario using a subaquatic vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft robotics represents a rising trend in recent years, due to the ability to work in unstructured environments or in strict contact with humans. Introducing soft parts, robots can adapt to various contexts overcoming limits relative to the rigid structure of traditional ones. Main issues of soft robotics systems concern the relatively low force exertion and control complexity. Moreover, several fields of application, as space industry, need to develop novel lightweight and deployable robotic systems, that can be stored into a relatively small volume and deployed when required. In this paper, POPUP robot is introduced: a soft manipulator having inflatable links and rigid joints. Its hybrid structure aims to match the advantages of rigid robots and the useful properties of having a lightweight and deployable parts, ensuring simple control, low energy consumption and low compressed gas requirement. The first robot prototype and the system architecture are described highlighting design criteria and effect of internal pressure on the performances. A pseudo-rigid body model is used to describe the behavior of inflatable links looking forward to control design. Finally, the model is extended to the whole robot: multi-body simulations are performed to highlight the importance of suitable sensor equipment for control development, proposing a visual servoing solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rehabilitation robots have become one of the main technical instruments that Treat disorder patients in the biomedical engineering field. The robotic glove for the rehabilitation is basically made of specialized materials which can be designed to help the post-stroke patients. In this paper, a review of the different types of robotic glove for Rehabilitation have been discussed and summarized. This study reviews a different mechanical system of robotic gloves in previous years. The selected studies have been classified into four types according to the Mechanical Design: The first type is a tendon-driven robotic glove. The second type of robotic glove works with a soft actuator as a pneumatic which is operated by air pressure that passes through a plastic pipe, pressure valves, and air compressor. The third type is the exoskeleton robotic gloves this type consists of a wearable mechanical design that can used a finger-based sensor to measure grip strength or is used in interactive video applications. And the fourth type is the robotic glove with a liner actuator this type consists of a tape placed on the fingers and connected to linear actuators to open and close the fingers during the rehabilitation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise sensing of pressure is essential for various mechanical and electrical systems. The recent emergence of flexible pressure sensors has enabled novel applications, such as human–machine interfaces, soft robotics, and wearable devices. Specifically, the piezoresistive sensing scheme is widely adapted for flexible pressure sensors as it is simple and exhibits outstanding measurement sensitivity and stability. The sensing properties of piezoresistive pressure sensors mainly depends on the materials and contact morphologies at the interface. This paper proposes a flexible pressure sensor based on multi-height microstructures in which the measurement sensitivity and detection range are tunable. Such tunability is due to the sequential contact of micropyramids with different heights. The multi-height micropyramid structured PDMS layer with stamp-coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) acts as a conductive active layer and a gold interdigitated electrode (IDE) patterned polyimide (PI) layer works as the bottom electrode. The fabricated sensor exhibits a sensitivity of 0.19 kPa−1, a fast response speed of 20 ms, and a detection range of up to 100 kPa. The sensor is applied to a robotic gripper for object recognition and integrated into a shoe to track walking motions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper presents a design and implementation of a shape memory alloy actuated electromechanical oscillator. This is a non-magnetic high-deflection electromechanical oscillator, which is based on the concept of electro-thermo-mechanical actuation. The system can be used to produce an electromechanical oscillation of low-frequency and high-deflection with high-block force. Methods: A prototype of the oscillator is developed using an elastic carbon-steel spring, a NiTiNol actuator, which serves as an SMA actuator, a rack and pinion gear assembly and an electronic logic circuit. The whole assembly functios in a closed loop with negative feedback. Results: The developed prototype can produce a reciprocating rectilinear peak-to-peak mean deflection of 6 mm and reciprocating curvilinear peak-to-peak mean deflection of 19$^o$ at around 35 mHz frequency with 0.9 % mean duty cycle. The device is tested using a 12.4 V DC power supply at room temperature. Since, the mean duty cycle is extremely low, which is around 0.9 % for the developed prototype, hence, the power consumption of this system per cycle is considerably low around 0.4 W/cycle. Conclusion: The Joule heating is the base of the proposed approach. Hence, the proposed system offers an advantage of getting operated by both DC/AC supply.The electromechanical motion, which is generated by the developed soft-actuator assembly, can be used in applications such as robotics and mechatronics. The developed mechanism can also be used to hold things very fast and place them slowly. The same mechanism can also be used to produce flapping motion with large block force, or hammering action with high impact force at low frequency. The proposed system, can also be used in slowly repetitive or non-repetitive (through customization) electro-mechanical lever-releasing mechanisms for fluid-valve on-off operation and jumping, throwing and triggering executions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous work has shown that virtual hormone systems can be engineered to arbitrate swarms of robots between sets of behaviours. These virtual hormones act similarly to their natural counterparts, providing a method of online, reactive adaptation. It is yet to be shown how virtual hormone systems could be used when a robotic swarm has a large variety of task types to execute. This paper details work that demonstrates the viability of a collection of virtual hormones that can be used to regulate and adapt a swarm over time, in response to different environments and tasks. Specifically, the paper examines a new method of hormone speed control for energy efficiency and combines it with two existing systems controlling environmental preference as well as a selection of behaviours that produce an effective foraging swarm. Experiments confirm the effectiveness of the combined system, showing that a swarm of robots equipped with multiple virtual hormones can forage efficiently to a specified item demand within an allotted period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft grippers are a growing type of end-effectors that are developed to balance out the simplicity and versatility of the grippers. Today, however, literature lacks a promising method for designing accurate, durable, and high-payload soft grippers. This paper therefore identifies the essential steps in order to design such grippers, and proposes a framework that links the essential steps in order to optimize the design of soft grippers according to the requirements. Finally, functionality and performance of the design grippers are experimentally verified and analyzed via a case study of a real industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, we are going to show how robotics is undergoing a shift in a bionic direction after a period of emphasis on artificial intelligence and increasing computational efficiency, which included isolation and extreme specialization. We assemble these new developments under the label of the morphological paradigm. The change in its paradigms and the development of alternatives to the principles that dominated robotics for a long time contains a more general epistemological significance. The role of body, material, environment, interaction and the paradigmatic status of biological and evolutionary systems for the principles of control are crucial here. Our focus will be on the introduction of the morphological paradigm in a new type of robotics and to contrast the interests behind this development with the interests shaping former models. The article aims to give a clear account of the changes in principles of orientation and control as well as concluding general observation in terms of historical epistemology, suggesting further political-epistemological analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chen et al. [[3]] fabricated a fabric-reinforced soft manipulator driven by a water hydraulic system and developed a dynamic model of both the soft manipulator and hydraulic system. 10.3390/mi13020216 3 Chen Y., Sun Q., Guo Q., Gong Y. Dynamic Modeling and Experimental Validation of a Water Hydraulic Soft Manipulator Based on an Improved Newton - Euler Iterative Method. Kang et al. [[6]] introduced a bio-inspired take-off mechanism based on the coordination of upper and lower limbs, which could improve the jumping height of a quadruped robot with a manipulator. [Extracted from the article]

Today robotics technology will increase economic growth and productivity and create new career opportunities for many people worldwide. Robotics is a branch of study concerned with the creation of robots and automation, and robotics is a programmable machine that can fulfill a task. In this paper, we want to evaluate the novel concept of bipolar complex intuitionistic fuzzy soft relation (BCIFSRs) by employing the Cartesian product of two bipolar complex intuitionistic fuzzy soft which are computed with the aid of two distinct concepts, referred to as BCIR relation and soft sets. The major objective is to create some innovative and useful notions that may be used to handle uncomfortable and unreliable information in practical situations. Additionally, we examined various types of relations and also justified them with the aid of some appropriate examples. The BCIFSRs have a broad framework because it is discussing both positive and negative aspects of membership and non-membership degrees with multidimensional variables. The proposed idea is more dominant and superior to the pre-existing ideas. Further, the application of the proposed method is illustrated to select the best robots. Robots can often improve output, effectiveness, product quality, and consistency. Furthermore, a score function is established for the proposed structures to choose the best robotics. Finally, a comparison with existing frameworks explains the benefits of the proposed frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The work intends to demonstrate the feasibility of applying different materials and technologies with the aim of performing morphing to different parts of an aerial system for increasing their capabilities and performance. The aim of this work is to present the development of a bio-inspired approach for a robotic tail using Macro Fiber Composites (MFC) as actuators. The use of this technology will allow achieving closer to the nature approach of the tail, aiming to mimic a bird tail behavior. The tail will change its shape, performing morphing, providing a new type of actuation methodology in flapping control systems. The work is intended as a first step for demonstrating the potential of these technologies for being applied in other parts of the aerials robotics systems. When compared with traditional actuation approaches, one key advantage that is given by the use of MFC is their ability to adapt to different flight conditions via geometric tailoring, imitating what birds do in nature. Theoretical explanations, design, and experimental validation of the developed concept using different methodologies will be presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of robotics began with fluid power around 1960, at which time, all robots were driven by pneumatic or hydraulic actuators. Subsequently, in the mid-1980s, electromagnetic motors replaced the mainstay of robot actuators, while fluid-powered robots almost completely disappeared. However, in recent years, by utilizing the unique features of flexibility and lightness of pneumatics and the high power and robustness of hydraulics, several robots with unique characteristics, which cannot be realized with conventional electrical motors, are being developed. The author has developed various types of new fluid power actuators, including pneumatic and hydraulic types, to realize novel robots with unique features. This paper reviews the author's previous works on fluid power actuators and robots driven by them. Furthermore, it presents prospective robots that can be realized using fluid power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings regarding the addition of robotics education in kindergarten and elementary school as a tool for enhancing technological thinking, increasing children's confidence in using technology, developing essential twenty-first century skills and increasing children's self-confidence. A unique tailored compulsory program for kindergarten and elementary schools is presented. An important feature of this program is that the general education teachers are trained as robotics instructors. A quantitative survey of 197 children and a qualitative analysis of interviews are presented. Gender and age-related differences in attitudes towards robotics, self-confidence and technological self-efficacy are analysed. Children were assessed on their knowledge of basic robotics, sensors and programming, understanding technology and technological thinking and their desire to continue to study robotics and technology. Results show that kindergarten and elementary school children feel confident in their ability to invent new robots and other technological devices, and have positive attitudes towards learning technology, science and robotics in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimanual telemanipulation is vital for facilitating robots to complete complex and dexterous tasks that involve two handheld objects under teleoperation scenarios. However, the bimanual configuration introduces higher complexity, dynamics, and uncertainty, especially in those uncontrolled and unstructured environments, which require more advanced system integration. This paper presents a bimanual robotic teleoperation architecture with modular anthropomorphic hybrid grippers for the purpose of improving the telemanipulation capability under unstructured environments. Generally, there are two teleoperated subsystems within this architecture. The first one is the Leap Motion Controller and the anthropomorphic hybrid robotic grippers. Two 3D printed anthropomorphic hybrid robotic grippers with modular joints and soft layer augmentations are designed, fabricated, and equipped for telemanipulation tasks. A Leap Motion Controller is used to track the motion of two human hands, while each hand is utilized to teleoperate one robotic gripper. The second one is the haptic devices and the robotic arms. Two haptic devices are adopted as the master devices while each of them takes responsibility for one arm control. Based on such a framework, an average RMSE (root-mean-square-error) value of 0.0204 rad is obtained in joint tracking. Nine sign-language demonstrations and twelve object grasping tasks were conducted with the robotic gripper teleoperation. A challenging bimanual manipulation task for an object with 5.2 kg was well addressed using the integrated teleoperation system. Experimental results show that the proposed bimanual teleoperation system can effectively handle typical manipulation tasks, with excellent adaptabilities for a wide range of shapes, sizes, and weights, as well as grasping modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]