Sun Jin, Zhang Shijing, Deng Jie, Li Jing, Zhou Dong, Wang Dehong, Liu Junkao, Chen Weishan, Liu Yingxiang
State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China.
Research (Wash D C). 2023 Mar 17;8:0642. doi: 10.34133/research.0642. eCollection 2025.
Twisted nylon actuators (TNAs) are widely recognized in soft robotics for their excellent load-to-weight ratio and cost-effectiveness. However, their limitations in deformation and output force restrict their ability to support more advanced applications. Here, we report 3 performance-enhancing strategies inspired by the construction process of chromosome, which are validated through 3 novel types of TNAs. First, we design a dual-level helical structure, demonstrating remarkable improvements in the deformation (60.2% vertically and approximately 100% horizontally) and energy storage capability (launching a miniature basketball to 131 cm in height). Second, we present a parallel-twisted method, where the output force of TNAs reaches 11.0 N, achieving 12.1% contraction under a load of 15 N (10,000 times its weight). Additionally, we construct the dual-level helical structure based on parallel-twisted TNAs, resulting in a 439.7% improvement in load capability. We have adopted TNAs for several applications: (a) two bionic elbows capable of rotating and shooting a miniature basketball over 130 cm; (b) a robot that can rapidly jump over 30 cm; and (c) a soft finger that achieves contracting (15.3% contraction under 2 kg load), precise bending (tracking errors less than 2.0%), and twisting motions. This work presents approaches for fabricating high-performance soft actuators and explores the potential applications of these actuators for driving soft robots with multifunctional capabilities.
扭曲尼龙致动器（TNAs）因其出色的负载重量比和成本效益而在软体机器人领域得到广泛认可。然而，它们在变形和输出力方面的局限性限制了其支持更先进应用的能力。在此，我们报告了受染色体构建过程启发的三种性能增强策略，并通过三种新型TNAs进行了验证。首先，我们设计了一种双层螺旋结构，其在变形（垂直方向60.2%，水平方向约100%）和能量存储能力（将一个微型篮球发射到131厘米的高度）方面有显著提升。其次，我们提出了一种平行扭曲方法，其中TNAs的输出力达到11.0 N，在15 N的负载下（是其重量的10,000倍）实现了12.1%的收缩。此外，我们基于平行扭曲的TNAs构建了双层螺旋结构，使负载能力提高了439.7%。我们已将TNAs应用于多个方面：（a）两个能够旋转并将微型篮球投出超过130厘米的仿生肘部；（b）一个能够快速跳跃超过30厘米的机器人；以及（c）一个能实现收缩（在2千克负载下收缩15.3%）、精确弯曲（跟踪误差小于2.0%）和扭转运动的软手指。这项工作提出了制造高性能软致动器的方法，并探索了这些致动器在驱动具有多功能能力的软体机器人方面的潜在应用。
