US 12,719,390 B2 · Programmable soft actuators

Abstract

A soft actuator, comprising: a deformable member having a base stiffness; one or more electroadhesive (EA) clutches, the one or more EA clutches being in mechanical communication with the deformable member, and the one or more EA clutches being configured to, when actuated, give rise to a region of relative stiffness within the actuator that is greater than the base stiffness. A method, comprising: in a soft actuator, actuating one or more EA clutches in mechanical communication with a deformable member having a base stiffness, the actuating being performed so as to give rise to one or more regions of relative stiffness within the soft actuator that is greater than the base stiffness; and effecting a bending force within the deformable member such that the deformable member attains a shape, the shape at least partially defined by the actuated one or more EA clutches.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A soft actuator, comprising:

a deformable member having a base stiffness;
and
one or more electroadhesive (EA) clutches,
each EA clutch comprising a first electrode and a second electrode,
each EA clutch being operable such that the first electrode and the second electrode associate against one another when the EA clutch is placed in an activated state,
the first electrode and the second electrode of the EA clutch both being superposed on a same surface of the deformable member,
the one or more EA clutches being in mechanical communication with the deformable member, and
the one or more EA clutches being configured to, when actuated, give rise to a region of relative stiffness within the soft actuator that is greater than the base stiffness.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Programmable soft actuators

Life of this patent

Programmable soft actuators

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26