DESIGN, SIMULATION, AND RAPID PROTOTYPING OF SOFT ROBOTIC ACTUATORS FOR DEEP-SEA APPLICATIONS

Author

Alexander Yin, University of Rhode IslandFollow

Date of Award

2024

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Ocean Engineering

Department

Ocean Engineering

First Advisor

Brennan Phillips

Abstract

A new design and rapid prototyping approach for hydraulic soft actuators was developed and used to create bio-inspired underwater soft actuators that were tested and applied in the field. Underwater soft-bodied animals demonstrate complex approaches to move around the ocean and sophisticated methods of physically interacting with other organism and objects. Studying the functional design and kinematics of these animals can provide insight and solutions for complex tasks and locomotion, and soft robotics provides pathways to create complex actuators that imitate or are inspired by these animals. However, creating a complex soft actuator is currently an arduous and time-consuming process that often requires several iterations to both confirm the manufacturing process and the actuator’s performance. The work conducted in this dissertation explores ways to expedite this process and demonstrate the effectiveness of bio-inspired systems in a predictable manner. To simplify and reduce the design process, 3D printing methods and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations were explored and tested to create customizable bellow-style hydraulic soft actuators. Numerous versions of the soft actuator were produced and tested with both processes to demonstrate the reliability and accuracy of using both methods. Using this approach, customized versions of the soft actuator were easily and quickly manufactured and insight into how parameter changes influence its performance were obtained. The actuator was then further developed to provide controlled drag force to a small free-falling benthic lander system. Taking inspiration from how pelagic animals that live near the seafloor are able to reduce their descent speed, the soft actuators act in a similar manner by increasing the amount of surface area of the lander thus increasing the amount of drag force acting upon it. This allows the lander to reduce its descent speed before landing on the seafloor. This concept was successfully tested in the deep-sea, with terminal velocity changes reduced by 45% of their original speed. This dissertation describes in detail the process of rapid prototyping soft actuators in a consistent manner (Chapter 1), the integration of FEA-informed simulations on testing design variables of soft actuators prior to physical production (Chapter 2), and the combined design and prototyping workflow to produce bioinspired soft actuator arrays for the controlled descent of deep-sea vehicles (Chapter 3).

Recommended Citation

Yin, Alexander, "DESIGN, SIMULATION, AND RAPID PROTOTYPING OF SOFT ROBOTIC ACTUATORS FOR DEEP-SEA APPLICATIONS" (2024). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 1654.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/1654