This document discusses soft robotics, which uses soft and flexible materials like silicone, plastic, and rubber rather than rigid materials. Soft robots are more bio-inspired and able to complete complex motions. Pneumatic networks called "PneuNets" embedded in elastomers are commonly used for actuation. Potential applications include human assistance devices, search and rescue robots, and medical implants. A prototype soft robotic hand is presented as an example for motor rehabilitation.

1. SOFT ROBOTICS
A STUDY AND
APPLICATION OF LIMB
REHABILITATION
PRESENTATED BY-
AISHWARYA SHARMA
M.TECH (R&AE)
00616418715

2. INTRODUCTION
•A subfield of robotics.
•Bio-inspired structure and nature, can undergo large
deformations.
•Non rigid, constructed with soft and deformable materials
like
-silicon
-plastic (polymers)
-fabric
-rubber (elastomers)
-compliant mechanical parts like springs.

3. WHY SOFT ROBOTICS?
• Robots have traditionally been made from hard
materials such as metal and plastic.
• These robots are more like machines than biological
organisms.
• Soft robotics on the other hand seeks to make robots
that are soft, flexible and compliant, just like
biological organisms.
• The ‘body’ of a soft robot is soft like natural tissue.

4. HOW BIO-INSPIRED?

7. CONVENTIONAL ROBOTS vs. SOFT ROBOTS
Body-
Aluminium/Steel/Plastic
Hard wired, Software driven
Bulky, Limited motion
Body-
Silicon/Rubber/Soft plastic
Mostly pneumatically controlled
Flexible, Elastic, Good
reachability
Springs, Dampers, Impact-absorbing
rubbers are used in assembly
Use of sticking agents and
polymers
Soft sensors are used
Metal components used in
assembly.
Use of Nuts and Blots
Hardwired sensors are used.
Conventional Robots Soft Robots

8. MECHANICAL GRIPPER SOFT GRIPPER

9. HOW DOES IT WORK?
• Soft robots are generally pneumatically controlled.
• The air pressure is regulated by specialised programmed
pumps.
• Movement of the manipulator is directed by soft actuators
and soft sensors.
• Basic sensors used- pressure sensor, proximity sensor,
optical sensor, position sensors etc.

10. THE SOFT MATERIALS AND ACTUATION
• Materials from which this class of devices is fabricated
are usually polymers (especially elastomers).
• They fall into the category of organic materials sciences.
• The use of soft materials allows for continuous
deformation.
• Generally used materials are silicone polymers and
elastomers.

11. THE PneuNets
• There is currently no technology that can replicate the
balanced performance of animal muscle.
• In soft robotics, the concept of PneuNets is widely used
for actuation.
• PneuNet refers to the embedded pneumatic networks of
channels in elastomers that inflate like balloons for
actuation, providing the required motion/movement to the
robot.

12. PneuNet Structure

13. SILICONE ELASTOMERS
• Generally used soft matters for fabricating the robots are
silicone based polymers and elastomers like silicone
rubber.
• Silicone is preferred over other materials due to the
following properties:
• Virtually unaffected by weather- rain, snow, humidity,
ozone, or the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays for
many years.

14. • Wider operating temperature range - from -100 to 316ºC
(-148 to 600ºF).
• Very high elongation (up to 1200%).
• Biocompatibility: Exhibit superior compatibility with
human tissue and body fluids and an extremely low tissue
response when implanted.
• Odorless and tasteless, silicones do not support bacteria
growth and will not stain or corrode other materials.

15. SILICONE’S CHEMICAL STRUCTURE

16. POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
Soft robots are mechanically biocompatible and capable of life
like functionalities.
• Human motor assistance and co-robotics.
• Pneumatically powered humanoids, orthoses, and
prosthetics.
• Field robots for search missions and data collection.
• Miniaturized soft robots may also be used for drug delivery,
minimally invasive surgery, and medical implants.

17. An overview of soft robotics, potential spin-off technologies,
manufacturing methods, and commercial markets.

18. REEL LIFE EXAMPLE?
In "Big Hero 6," the latest 3-D animated film from Disney, the titular
hero is a soft robot.
The whole idea of Baymax, the caretaker robot in the movie,
occurred to co-director Don Hall during a visit to Carnegie Mellon
University's Robotics Institute.
One can find everything from snake-bots
to crocodile-bots to bot swarms — to the
inflatable robotic arm that inspired Hall.
Baymax is still very much a creature
of fiction: there are no full-scale
humanoid soft robots yet, and some of
the technology still needs to be worked
out.

19. A Soft Robotic Hand Glove

20. PROPOSED MODEL

21. PROTOTYPE
SINGLE FINGERED GRIPPER THREE FINGERED GRIPPER

22. PROTOTYPE
SINGLE FINGERED
GRIPPER- INFLATED
THREE FINGERED
GRIPPER- INFLATED

23. PROTOTYPE
THREE FINGERED GRIPPER- GRIPPING AN OBJECT

24. ASPIRED PROTOTYPE
SOFT ROBOTIC HAND FOR MOTOR ASSISTANCE

25. REFERENCES
• http://biodesign.seas.harvard.edu/soft-robotics
• http://biodesign.seas.harvard.edu/soft-exosuits
• http://www.brl.ac.uk/research/researchthemes/softrobotics/aboutsoftrobotics
• http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/gadgets/big-hero-6-science-behind-baymax-
disneys-big-soft-robot
• http://www.everything-robotic.com/2013/09/co-robots-really-are-big-thing
• Soft robotics: A perspective-current trends and prospects for the future by
Carmel Majidi.
• http://www.nature.com/news/meet-the-soft-cuddly-robots-of-the-future
• Deformation in soft-matter robotics, Article by Liyu Wang and Fumiya Iida.