A novel highly-extensible 2-DOF pneumatic actuator for soft robotic applications

A novel highly-extensible pneumatic actuator and the underlying drive principle is presented in this paper. First, a simplified physical model is proposed for the drive principle. Second, mechanical design and control system of the prototype are explained. Third, generated force and speed are investigated, and validity of the model is shown through experiments, both for one and two degree of freedom systems. Finally, a potential application of the actuator is demonstrated in the form of a soft robot that can achieve navigation in maze-like environments. Experimental results indicate that open-loop speed control of the actuator can be achieved with speeds higher than the ones found in literature. The extension ratio of the proposed actuator is only limited by length of the tubing used, and can be increased depending on the application field.