Soft robotics has turned out to be more available to scientists and scholar researchers today. This because several paces have been performed in the field. Providing robots that are life-size, able to explore diverse levels, and may further be improved with bionics.
“Most common designs for soft robots are realized by distributed actuation on soft materials. With more Degree-of-Freedom (DoF) than rigid robots can provide, it can better complete highly dexterous tasks like grasping and detection of confined areas.” This is according to Christopher-Denny Matte, a student at Concordia University.
“Soft robots have the unique property that their entire deformation and use case is based on its shape and material distribution. As such being able to program deformations by changing its geometry or placing certain materials in key locations is a very attractive perspective.” Says Matte.
Matte also reveals the necessity for many fields of research, to include:
- Fresh simulation techniques for effective reproduction
- Advances in numerical simulation and predictors
- Increased fabrication methods
After reviewing each type of additive manufacturing, Matte picked digital light processing (DLP). This was by use of ASRS (an automated storage and retrieval system) with an effective cleaning strategy. In this research, he reveals that he intended to solve problems in DLP printing too. The problems include:
- Long material change time
- Contamination between materials
- Limited material capacity
Matte was encouraged by a past study using the geometry-based algorithm in optimization. Increasing the thoughts to soft robotics and various materials for use in SLA/DLP printing. In fact, using various materials in robotics is becoming more popular. It offers unique agreement and performance of important elements. The elements include actuators and joints.
Working from prototypes to end products can be viewed as technology is being used in different fields. This includes organs and airplane parts. This is according to Matte.
Multi-material printing for DLP/SLA is still comparatively limited. Generally both triggering retardation in manufacture or difficulties in modifying the materials.
“To realize the framework, three research questions need to be investigated: 1) How to convert the mechanical analysis to a geometric problem, 2) How to apply different actuations in the simulation, and 3) How to model the material properties geometrically,” notes Matte.
According to Matte, DLP brought its own issues like contamination between materials, the changing procedure. This is since full vats require to be displaced. Also, says that the number of materials per model and the overhead time for dealing with the multiple materials.
