Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.5
4.5
Journals
Biomimetics
Special Issues
Bioinspired Structures for Soft Actuators
share announcement

Bioinspired Structures for Soft Actuators

A special issue of Biomimetics (ISSN 2313-7673). This special issue belongs to the section "Locomotion and Bioinspired Robotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 2125

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Benliang Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Interests: compliant mechanisms; precision engineering; soft robotics; machine version
Dr. Hai Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Precision Equipment and Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
Interests: compliant mechanisms; precision engineering; soft robotics; machine version

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomimetics have been extensively studied as one of the principal ways of designing soft actuators. Recently, great efforts have been pursued in mimicking living creatures to design the structures of soft robots, such as jellyfish-like swimmers, snake- and worm-inspired robots, octopuses’ grippers, and millipede-inspired soft robots. These bionic design structures can achieve specific functionalities. However, many challenges still exist when devising bioinspired actuators, including more compact yet more powerful actuators with simple structures yet multi-modal movements.

The aim of this Special Issue, “Bioinspired Structures for Soft Actuators”, is to collect outstanding contributions from different laboratories working on biomimetic soft actuators.

Taking advantage of the journal’s open access format, this collection of papers aims to exemplify the effectiveness of biomimetic approaches in uncovering novel research pathways and pioneering solutions within the realm of structural design methods.

Submissions are welcomed on topics for this Special Issue, including (but not limited to) bioinspired structure designs, biomimicry design methods, and biomimetic robotics in industry and medical technology. We are confident that this undertaking will address a crucial void in the field of biomimetic structural mechanics and engineering applications.

Prof. Dr. Benliang Zhu
Dr. Hai Li
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomimetics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soft robotics
  • compliant structure
  • mechanical design
  • bioinspired structure
  • simulation and experimentation
  • bio-inspired robots
  • the application of soft actuators

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 15586 KiB  
Article
Design and Analysis of a Polymeric Left Ventricular Simulator via Computational Modelling
by Turgut Batuhan Baturalp and Selim Bozkurt
Biomimetics 2024, 9(5), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9050269 (registering DOI) - 28 Apr 2024
Viewed by 105
Abstract
Preclinical testing of medical devices is an essential step in the product life cycle, whereas testing of cardiovascular implants requires specialised testbeds or numerical simulations using computer software Ansys 2016. Existing test setups used to evaluate physiological scenarios and test cardiac implants such [...] Read more.
Preclinical testing of medical devices is an essential step in the product life cycle, whereas testing of cardiovascular implants requires specialised testbeds or numerical simulations using computer software Ansys 2016. Existing test setups used to evaluate physiological scenarios and test cardiac implants such as mock circulatory systems or isolated beating heart platforms are driven by sophisticated hardware which comes at a high cost or raises ethical concerns. On the other hand, computational methods used to simulate blood flow in the cardiovascular system may be simplified or computationally expensive. Therefore, there is a need for low-cost, relatively simple and efficient test beds that can provide realistic conditions to simulate physiological scenarios and evaluate cardiovascular devices. In this study, the concept design of a novel left ventricular simulator made of latex rubber and actuated by pneumatic artificial muscles is presented. The designed left ventricular simulator is geometrically similar to a native left ventricle, whereas the basal diameter and long axis length are within an anatomical range. Finite element simulations evaluating left ventricular twisting and shortening predicted that the designed left ventricular simulator rotates approximately 17 degrees at the apex and the long axis shortens around 11 mm. Experimental results showed that the twist angle is 18 degrees and the left ventricular simulator shortens 5 mm. Twist angles and long axis shortening as in a native left ventricle show it is capable of functioning like a native left ventricle and simulating a variety of scenarios, and therefore has the potential to be used as a test platform. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Structures for Soft Actuators)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 5187 KiB  
Article
Seahorse-Tail-Inspired Soft Pneumatic Actuator: Development and Experimental Characterization
by Michele Gabrio Antonelli, Pierluigi Beomonte Zobel, Muhammad Aziz Sarwar and Nicola Stampone
Biomimetics 2024, 9(5), 264; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9050264 (registering DOI) - 27 Apr 2024
Viewed by 238
Abstract
The study of bio-inspired structures and their reproduction has always fascinated humans. The advent of soft robotics, thanks to soft materials, has enabled considerable progress in this field. Over the years, polyps, worms, cockroaches, jellyfish, and multiple anthropomorphic structures such as hands or [...] Read more.
The study of bio-inspired structures and their reproduction has always fascinated humans. The advent of soft robotics, thanks to soft materials, has enabled considerable progress in this field. Over the years, polyps, worms, cockroaches, jellyfish, and multiple anthropomorphic structures such as hands or limbs have been reproduced. These structures have often been used for gripping and handling delicate objects or those with complex unknown a priori shapes. Several studies have also been conducted on grippers inspired by the seahorse tail. In this paper, a novel biomimetic soft pneumatic actuator inspired by the tail of the seahorse Hippocampus reidi is presented. The actuator has been developed to make a leg to sustain a multi-legged robot. The prototyping of the actuator was possible by combining a 3D-printed reinforcement in thermoplastic polyurethane, mimicking the skeletal apparatus, within a silicone rubber structure, replicating the functions of the external epithelial tissue. The latter has an internal channel for pneumatic actuation that acts as the inner muscle. The study on the anatomy and kinematic behaviour of the seahorse tail suggested the mechanical design of the actuator. Through a test campaign, the actuator prototype was characterized by isotonic tests with an external null load, isometric tests, and activation/deactivation times. Specifically, the full actuator distension of 154.5 mm occurs at 1.8 bar, exerting a maximum force of 11.9 N, with an activation and deactivation time of 74.9 and 94.5 ms, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Structures for Soft Actuators)
22 pages, 11578 KiB  
Article
Shape Memory Alloys Patches to Mimic Rolling, Sliding, and Spinning Movements of the Knee
by Suyeon Seo, Minchae Kang and Min-Woo Han
Biomimetics 2024, 9(5), 255; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9050255 - 23 Apr 2024
Viewed by 422
Abstract
Every year, almost 4 million patients received medical care for knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis involves progressive deterioration or degenerative changes in the cartilage, leading to inflammation and pain as the bones and ligaments are affected. To enhance treatment and surgical outcomes, various studies analyzing [...] Read more.
Every year, almost 4 million patients received medical care for knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis involves progressive deterioration or degenerative changes in the cartilage, leading to inflammation and pain as the bones and ligaments are affected. To enhance treatment and surgical outcomes, various studies analyzing the biomechanics of the human skeletal system by fabricating simulated bones, particularly those reflecting the characteristics of patients with knee osteoarthritis, are underway. In this study, we fabricated replicated bones that mirror the bone characteristics of patients with knee osteoarthritis and developed a skeletal model that mimics the actual movement of the knee. To create patient-specific replicated bones, models were extracted from computerized tomography (CT) scans of knee osteoarthritis patients. Utilizing 3D printing technology, we replicated the femur and tibia, which bear the weight of the body and support movement, and manufactured cartilage capable of absorbing and dispersing the impact of knee joint loads using flexible polymers. Furthermore, to implement knee movement in the skeletal model, we developed artificial muscles based on shape memory alloys (SMAs) and used them to mimic the rolling, sliding, and spinning motions of knee flexion. The knee movement was investigated by changing the SMA spring’s position, the number of coils, and the applied voltage. Additionally, we developed a knee-joint-mimicking system to analyze the movement of the femur. The proposed artificial-skeletal-model-based knee-joint-mimicking system appears to be applicable for analyzing skeletal models of knee patients and developing surgical simulation equipment for artificial joint replacement surgery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Structures for Soft Actuators)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 4933 KiB  
Article
Quasi-Static Modeling Framework for Soft Bellow-Based Biomimetic Actuators
by Kelvin HoLam Heung, Ting Lei, Kaixin Liang, Jiye Xu, Joonoh Seo and Heng Li
Biomimetics 2024, 9(3), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9030160 - 04 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1031
Abstract
Soft robots that incorporate elastomeric matrices and flexible materials have gained attention for their unique capabilities, surpassing those of rigid robots, with increased degrees of freedom and movement. Research has highlighted the adaptability, agility, and sensitivity of soft robotic actuators in various applications, [...] Read more.
Soft robots that incorporate elastomeric matrices and flexible materials have gained attention for their unique capabilities, surpassing those of rigid robots, with increased degrees of freedom and movement. Research has highlighted the adaptability, agility, and sensitivity of soft robotic actuators in various applications, including industrial grippers, locomotive robots, wearable assistive devices, and more. It has been demonstrated that bellow-shaped actuators exhibit greater efficiency compared to uniformly shaped fiber-reinforced actuators as they require less input pressure to achieve a comparable range of motion (ROM). Nevertheless, the mathematical quantification of the performance of bellow-based soft fluidic actuators is not well established due to their inherent non-uniform and complex structure, particularly when compared to fiber-reinforced actuators. Furthermore, the design of bellow dimensions is mostly based on intuition without standardized guidance and criteria. This article presents a comprehensive description of the quasi-static analytical modeling process used to analyze bellow-based soft actuators with linear extension. The results of the models are validated through finite element method (FEM) simulations and experimental testing, considering elongation in free space under fluidic pressurization. This study facilitates the determination of optimal geometrical parameters for bellow-based actuators, allowing for effective biomimetic robot design optimization and performance prediction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired Structures for Soft Actuators)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop