Umbrella-rib-like multi-section three-jawed soft gripper by hybrid pneumatic and magnetic

摘要

Abstract Dual-response can respond to multiple stimuli and overcome the limitations of a single response, especially in biomimetic applications where large deformations and high stiffness are in high demand. This soft gripper fabricated with a new multi-section design and is a novel dual-response soft actuator that combines silicone and magnetic NdFeB particles, highlighting the advantages of a hybrid pneumatic and magnetic actuation to achieve bending behavior with high efficient and high stiffness at low pressure. The position of the bending center of the soft section is changed by adjusting the internal pressure. Here, an umbrella-rib-like soft actuator is proposed, inspired by the process of umbrella using deployable and foldable mechanisms, an efficient joint is designed for the soft actuator to act like umbrella ribs such that the joint bend-folding location does not change much on the robot for different internal pressures. The design and preparation of this multi-section soft actuator for grippers provides proficiency and wide application in medical, industry and so on.