Forward Kinematics Based Prediction for Bending Motion of Soft Pneumatic Actuators with Various Air Chambers

Do Phuoc Thien; Le Hoai Phuong

doi:10.46604/peti.2023.10536

Authors

Do Phuoc Thien Industrial Maintenance Training Center, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Le Hoai Phuong Industrial Maintenance Training Center, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46604/peti.2023.10536

Keywords:

soft robotic, pneumatic actuator, forward kinematics, flexible finger, DH parameter

Abstract

This study proposes a forward kinematic model for soft actuators that utilize pneumatic control to predict their bending motion, which is simulated using Ansys software. Firstly, a bending motion test is conducted with a 2-air chamber actuator to derive an equation that establishes the relationship between the bending angle and input pressure. Next, a serial model for the overall soft actuator is developed using forward kinematics with the DH method. The angle variables in the soft actuator are then replaced with an equation that relates the deformed angle and compressed air. Finally, the proposed serial model is used to predict the bending motion of 4-air and 6-air chamber actuators, and the results are compared to simulations and real experiments. The comparison shows that the proposed model could accurately predict the bending motion of the real actuators within an acceptable tolerance of 10%.

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