コアンダ効果を利用した流体素子切換弁を用いた人工筋アクチュエータの選択的駆動法

抄録

Soft robots have advantages in terms of safety, softness, and compliance compared to traditional robotic systems. However, soft actuators, often employed in soft robots, require a corresponding number of bulky pressure supplies/valves to drive. Here, we consider a valve that can control the flow without mechanical moving parts for simplifying the driving system of soft actuators. We developed a system comprising a pressure source, a switching valve, and two actuators to demonstrate the feasibility of introducing a fluid valve into soft robotics. As the valve, which makes use of the Coanda effect, can switch the flow between two outlets when the pressure difference between the outlets is 2 kPa, we employed a soft artificial muscle actuator connected to each outlet. The system can control the shrink of each actuator by switching the control flow. The experimental results proved that the system could actuate each actuator at will.