Jamming as an enabling technology for soft robotics

This paper presents a new architecture in soft robotics that utilizes particulate jamming technology. A novel concept of actuation is described that utilizes jamming technology to modulate the direction and magnitude of the work performed by a single central actuator. Jamming "activators" modulate work by jamming and unjamming (solidifying and liquifying) a granular medium coupled to a core actuator. These ideas are demonstrated in the Jamming Skin Enabled Locomotion (JSEL) prototype which can morph its shape and achieve locomotion. Next, a new actuator, denoted a Jamming Modulated Unimorph (JMU), is presented in addition to the JSEL topology. The JMU uses a single linear actuator and a discrete number of jamming cells to turn the 1 degree of freedom (DOF) linear actuator into a multi DOF bending actuator. Full characterization of the JMU actuator is presented, followed by a concluding argument for jamming as an enabling mechanism for soft robots in general, regardless of actuation technology.

[1]  P. Sheng,et al.  The giant electrorheological effect in suspensions of nanoparticles , 2003, Nature materials.

[2]  Shinichi Hirai,et al.  Crawling and jumping of deformable soft robot , 2004, 2004 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37566).

[3]  Andrea J. Liu,et al.  Jamming at zero temperature and zero applied stress: the epitome of disorder. , 2003, Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics.

[4]  Jae Wook Jeon,et al.  Microrobot actuated by soft actuators based on dielectric elastomer , 2002, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[5]  H. F. Schulte.  The characteristics of the McKibben artificial muscle , 1961 .

[6]  Srinivas Neppalli,et al.  Design, construction, and analysis of a continuum robot , 2007, 2007 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[7]  Blake Hannaford,et al.  Measurement and modeling of McKibben pneumatic artificial muscles , 1996, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[8]  Sadao Kawamura,et al.  Wearable haptic display by the use of a Particle Mechanical Constraint , 2002, Proceedings 10th Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems. HAPTICS 2002.

[9]  V. L. Nickel,et al.  DEVELOPMENT OF USEFUL FUNCTION IN THE SEVERELY PARALYZED HAND. , 1963, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[10]  Andrea J. Liu,et al.  Nonlinear dynamics: Jamming is not just cool any more , 1998, Nature.

[11]  M. Cates,et al.  Jamming, Force Chains, and Fragile Matter , 1998, cond-mat/9803197.

[12]  Heinrich M. Jaeger,et al.  JSEL: Jamming Skin Enabled Locomotion , 2009, 2009 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[13]  Robert J. Full,et al.  Muscle-like actuators? A comparison between three electroactive polymers , 2001, SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring.