Systems and methods for actuating soft robotic actuators

US9945397B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• President and Fellows of Harvard College · US

Inventors

• Robert F. Shepherd · Windom, US
• Adam Stokes · Hillsboro, US
• Stephen A. Morin · Lincoln, US
• Ludovico Cademartiri · Ames, US
• Jacob FREAKE · Willimantic, US
• Rui M.D. NUNES · Somerville, US
• Xin Chen · Evanston, US
• George M. Whitesides · Newton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 2, 2014
• Grant date: Apr 17, 2018
• Expiry date: Apr 2, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F15B15/103
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a soft robot is provided. In one system, a robotic device includes a flexible body having a fluid chamber, where a portion of the flexible body includes an elastically extensible material and a portion of the flexible body is strain limiting relative to the elastically extensible material. The robotic device can further include a pressurizing inlet in fluid communication with the fluid chamber, and a pressurizing device in fluid communication with the pressurizing inlet, the pressurizing device including a reaction chamber configured to accommodate a gas-producing chemical reaction for providing pressurized gas to the pressurizing inlet.