Muscle-fiber array inspired, multiple-mode, pneumatic artificial muscles through planar design and one-step rolling fabrication
Jiang Zou, Miao Feng, Ningyuan Ding, Peinan Yan, Haipeng Xu, Dezhi Yang, Nicholas X. Fang, Guoying Gu, Xiangyang Zhu
Abstract
Advances in development of artificial muscles have enabled creation of soft robots with biological dexterity and self-adaption in unstructured environments; however, production of scalable artificial muscles with multiple-mode actuations remains elusive. Inspired by muscle-fiber arrays in muscular hydrostats, we present a class of versatile artificial muscles called MAIPAMs (muscle-fiber array inspired pneumatic artificial muscles), capable of multiple-mode actuations (such as parallel elongation-bending-spiraling actuations, 10 parallel bending actuations and cascaded elongation-bending-spiraling actuations). Our MAIPAMs consist of active 3D elastomer-balloon arrays reinforced by a passive elastomer membrane, achieved through a planar design and one-step rolling fabrication approach. We introduce prototypical designs for the MAIPAMs and demonstrate their muscle-mimic structures and versatility, as well as their scalable ability to integrate flexible but non-stretchable layers for contraction and twisting actuation modes and compliant electrodes for self-sensing. We further demonstrate that this class of artificial muscles shows potential for versatile robotic applications, such as carrying a camera for recording videos, gripping or manipulating objects, and climbing a pipe-line.