Expanded quasi-static models to predict the performance of robotic skins on soft cylinders

Published

January 11, 2025

Author(s)

Jennifer Case, Gabrielle Branin, Ellen Yang, Stephanie Woodman, Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio, James Gibert

Abstract

Robotic skins are planar substrates with embedded sensors and actuators that are designed to wrap around soft, passive objects to enable multiple functionalities, such as locomotion and manipulation. We previously introduced a control model that relied on specific actuator and sensor placement in robotic skins wrapped around soft cylinders, as well as simplistic assumptions including an ideal connection between the robotic skin and underlying structure. Such assumptions decrease model fidelity and affect its utility in the design and control of surface-actuated systems. In this paper, we present a computational framework built around quasi-static generalized models of robotic skins. This computational framework contains mechanics, controls, state estimation, and kinematics models. The kinematics model is used post-process to analyze the performance of the other three models. We test the utility of the computational framework on two robotic skin designs and compare its performance against the previous models (when applicable) and physical experiments. We demonstrate that the mechanics, controls, and state estimation models presented herein outperform the previous models and are able to predict the behavior of new robotic skin designs. The accuracy of the models increases as the stiffness of the host body material increases. This computational framework will enable researchers to reduce fabrication costs and speed up the robotic skin design process, and can be easily extended to include system dynamics and model systems with multiple robotic skins.

Citation

International Journal of Robotics Research

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

DOI Link

Keywords

Robotic Skins, Soft Robots, Design Tool, Computational Framework

Citation

Case, J. , Branin, G. , Yang, E. , Woodman, S. , Kramer-Bottiglio, R. and Gibert, J. (2025), Expanded quasi-static models to predict the performance of robotic skins on soft cylinders, International Journal of Robotics Research, [online], https://doi.org/10.1177/02783649241310885 (Accessed February 28, 2025)