Image-Guided Locomotion of a Pneumatic-Driven Peristaltic Soft Robot

Abstract

In this work, a pneumatic-driven peristaltic soft robot with pressure feedback control and image-guided tracking is developed. Locomotion is achieved in tube-like environments by mimicking the peristaltic motion of earthworms. The soft actuators are made of silicone rubber with 3D molding and fiber reinforcements. Pressure control is performed using custom-made syringe pumps and on/off controllers in Arduino. Real-time visual tracking is accomplished in OpenCV with a color-based approach. The soft robot has a stroke of 30-35mm for each cycle of actuation. This pneumatic soft robot shows great potential for application in minimally invasive surgery due to its compliance and biocompatibility.