Design of a Fuel Explosion-Based Chameleon-Like Soft Robot Aided by the Comprehensive Dynamic Model

Zhou, Haiqin and Cao, Shunze and Zhang, Shuailong and Li, Fenggang and Ma, Nan (2023) Design of a Fuel Explosion-Based Chameleon-Like Soft Robot Aided by the Comprehensive Dynamic Model. Cyborg and Bionic Systems, 4. ISSN 2692-7632

Abstract

Soft robotics have advantages over the traditional rigid ones to achieve the bending motion but face with challenges to realize the rapid and long-distance linear motion due to the lack of a suitable actuation system. In this paper, a new explosion-based soft robot is proposed to generate the axial fast extension by the explosion pressure. To support and predict the performance of this explosion-based soft robot, a novel dynamic model is developed by considering the change of working fluid (molecular numbers) and some unavoidable and influential factors in the combustion process. Then, based on the physical prototype, a set of experiments is conducted to test the performance of the explosion-based soft robot in performing the axial extensions, as well as to validate the model proposed in this article. It is found that the novel explosion-based soft robot can achieve rapid axial extension by the developed explosion-based actuation system. The explosion-based soft robot can achieve 41-mm displacement at a fuel mass of 180 mg. In addition, the proposed dynamic model can be validated with an average error of 1.5%. The proposed approach in this study provides a promising solution for future high-power density explosion-based soft robots.