APPLICATION OF NEW BRAIDED SOFT ACTUATOR DESIGN IN BIOMIMETIC ROBOT LOCOMOTION

摘要

This paper presents applications of novel soft actuator design; a combination of different braided angles of artificial muscle actuator in biomimetic locomotion. The actuator construction is based on the integration of artificial muscle contraction and extension theory. The actuator comprises of fiber-reinforced inside silicone rubber and is capable to create extension, contraction and one-sided bending motion. Based on the experimental results, the developed soft actuator can realize leech, swimming-frog and inchworm-like locomotion behavior after standard air pressure driving experiment is executed.