# US 2019/0314980 A1 · Soft poly-limb systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0314980 A1 - Document ID: US20190314980A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/381,637 - Filed: 2019-04-11 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-12 - Assignees: Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University - Inventors: Panagiotis Polygerinos; Pham Huy Nguyen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190314980A1 ## CPC - B25J 9/06: characterised by multi-articulated arms - A61F 2/54: Artificial arms or hands or parts thereof - B25J 9/0006: {Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure} - B25J 9/142: {comprising inflatable bodies} - B25J 9/1612: {characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control} - B25J 9/1694: {characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion} - B25J 11/008: {Manipulators for service tasks} - B25J 13/02: Hand grip control means {(handles or pedals for crane control B66C13/56; for measuring the force applied to control members G01L5/22; hand-held casings for switching devices, e.g. joy-sticks H01H9/0214)} - B25J 13/087: {for sensing other physical parameters, e.g. electrical or chemical properties} - B25J 19/007: {Means or methods for designing or fabricating manipulators} - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract The present disclosure provides a soft poly-limb system, comprising a first actuator segment, a second actuator segment, and a third actuator segment forming the soft poly-limb. Each of the first actuator segment, the second actuator segment, and the third actuator segment may comprise a plurality of ring reinforced actuators. The soft poly-limb system may further comprise a control system whereby a user may control the soft poly-limb. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A soft poly-limb system, comprising: a first actuator segment, a second actuator segment; and a third actuator segment forming the soft poly-limb, wherein each of the first actuator segment, the second actuator segment, and the third actuator segment comprise a plurality of ring reinforced actuators; and a control system whereby a user may control the soft poly-limb. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each ring reinforced actuator is fluid-driven and comprises a plurality of rings dispersed along an external surface of an actuator body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of rings are configured to restrain radial expansion and promote linear extension motion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the soft poly-limb is configured with nine degrees of freedom. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the soft poly-limb has a length of between 0.5 meters and 0.7 meters. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each actuator segment is tapered such that the soft poly-limb is tapered. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each ring reinforced actuator has a first diameter at one end and a second, smaller diameter at a second, opposite end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is wearable by a user to provide enhanced object manipulation capabilities to the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an end-effector coupled to the third actuator segment. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least five actuator segments, or at least seven actuator segments, or at least ten actuator segments. ### Claim 11 A system, comprising: a soft poly-limb, comprising: a first actuator segment, a second actuator segment, and a third actuator segment forming a soft poly-limb, wherein each of the first actuator segment, the second actuator segment, and the third actuator segment comprises a plurality of ring reinforced actuators; and a motion controller in communication with the soft poly-limb and configured to provide movement instructions to the soft poly-limb. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the motion controller comprises one of a joystick motion controller, an inertial measurement unit motion (IMU) controller, or a surface electromyography (sEMG) motion controller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising a pressure source in fluid communication with the soft poly-limb and configured to provide fluid pressure to the soft poly-limb. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, further comprising a pressure regulator between the pressure source and the soft poly-limb and configured to regulate a pressure of fluid flowing into the soft poly-limb. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11; further comprising a pressure sensor coupled to the soft poly-limb and configured to monitor a pressure in a portion of the soft poly-limb. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a solenoid valve between the pressure regulator and the soft poly-limb. ### Claim 17 A method of manufacturing a soft poly-limb comprising: forming an actuator body from a first mold; coupling one or more rings to the actuator body to form a ring reinforced actuator; arranging a plurality of ring reinforced actuators in a second mold; forming an actuator segment from the second mold; and coupling a plurality of actuator segments to form the soft poly-limb. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein coupling a plurality of actuator segments comprises coupling the plurality of actuator segments together via at least one modular connector cap. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the first mold comprises at least one frame segment, a core, and a first cap. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein arranging the plurality of ring reinforced actuators comprising arranging the plurality of ring reinforced actuators in an equilateral triangle prism.