Buckling of Elastomeric Beams Enables Actuation of Soft Machines

Dian Yang; Bobak Mosadegh; Alar Ainla; Benjamin Lee; Fatemeh Khashai; Zhigang Suo; Katia Bertoldi; George M Whitesides

doi:10.1002/adma.201503188

Buckling of Elastomeric Beams Enables Actuation of Soft Machines

Adv Mater. 2015 Nov 4;27(41):6323-7. doi: 10.1002/adma.201503188. Epub 2015 Sep 21.

Authors

Dian Yang^{1

2}, Bobak Mosadegh^{1

3}, Alar Ainla¹, Benjamin Lee¹, Fatemeh Khashai¹, Zhigang Suo^{2

4}, Katia Bertoldi^{2

4}, George M Whitesides^{1

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
² School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
³ Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering Harvard University, 60 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
⁴ Kavli Institute for Bionano Science & Technology Harvard University, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.

PMID: 26389733
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201503188

Abstract

Soft, pneumatic actuators that buckle when interior pressure is less than exterior provide a new mechanism of actuation. Upon application of negative pneumatic pressure, elastic beam elements in these actuators undergo reversible, cooperative collapse, and generate a rotational motion. These actuators are inexpensive to fabricate, lightweight, easy to control, and safe to operate. They can be used in devices that manipulate objects, locomote, or interact cooperatively with humans.

Keywords: buckling; pneumatic actuation; rotary motion; soft actuators; soft machines.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Elastomers
Movement
Polymers / chemistry
Pressure
Robotics*

Substances

Elastomers
Polymers
elastomeric polymer