Johnson B K, Naris M, Sundaram V, Volchko A, Ly K, Mitchell S K, Acome E, Kellaris N, Keplinger C, Correll N, Humbert J S, Rentschler M E
Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
Artimus Robotics, Boulder, CO, USA.
Nat Commun. 2023 Jul 31;14(1):4516. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-39842-2.
Shape displays which actively manipulate surface geometry are an expanding robotics domain with applications to haptics, manufacturing, aerodynamics, and more. However, existing displays often lack high-fidelity shape morphing, high-speed deformation, and embedded state sensing, limiting their potential uses. Here, we demonstrate a multifunctional soft shape display driven by a 10 × 10 array of scalable cellular units which combine high-speed electrohydraulic soft actuation, magnetic-based sensing, and control circuitry. We report high-performance reversible shape morphing up to 50 Hz, sensing of surface deformations with 0.1 mm sensitivity and external forces with 50 mN sensitivity in each cell, which we demonstrate across a multitude of applications including user interaction, image display, sensing of object mass, and dynamic manipulation of solids and liquids. This work showcases the rich multifunctionality and high-performance capabilities that arise from tightly-integrating large numbers of electrohydraulic actuators, soft sensors, and controllers at a previously undemonstrated scale in soft robotics.
能够主动操纵表面几何形状的形状显示器是一个不断发展的机器人领域，其应用涵盖触觉、制造、空气动力学等多个方面。然而，现有的显示器往往缺乏高保真形状变形、高速变形和嵌入式状态传感功能，限制了它们的潜在用途。在此，我们展示了一种由10×10阵列的可扩展细胞单元驱动的多功能软形状显示器，这些单元结合了高速电动液压软驱动、基于磁的传感和控制电路。我们报告了高达50Hz的高性能可逆形状变形，每个单元对表面变形的灵敏度为0.1mm，对外力的灵敏度为50mN，我们在包括用户交互、图像显示、物体质量传感以及固体和液体的动态操纵等众多应用中展示了这一点。这项工作展示了在软机器人领域以前未展示过的规模上紧密集成大量电动液压致动器、软传感器和控制器所产生的丰富多功能性和高性能能力。
