Pouch motors : printable pneumatic actuators for foldable robotics

Abstract

We envision future electro-mechanical devices can be printed on planer structures and folded autonomously for robotic applications. This thesis project is devoted for the development of self-folding and actuation of such robots, with a novel actuator called pouch motors. Pouch motors is a family of printable pneumatic actuators in the pouch form that drives motion with inflations and deflations. It is customizable in design, inexpensive to fabricate and planer in nature, making it ideal for origami inspired robots. In the first half of this thesis, Pouch motor's actuation mechanisms with theoretical and experimental assessments are introduced. Design and fabrication work flows are described. In the second half of the thesis, different configurations of pouch motors are presented not only for robot self-folding, but also for applications in human computer interaction. The thesis highlights the robotic garden project as a representative example, bringing a discussion of future development.