Banana fingers The soft actuator is the device that senses th | Tech for Good

Banana fingers

The soft actuator is the device that senses the touch and performs a specific action based on that. It uses pneumatics to move. It has such applications as:
assistive wearables,
exoskeletons,
soft robotics,
and interactive devices.

The problem is making soft pneumatic actuators remain slow, costly, and manual.

MIT researchers published a paper on the new fabrication method. That includes
- designing a device using a special app,
- knitting on a machine in under 5 minutes.

The machine knits a textile sheath around the ordinary silicone tube. The conductive layer under the stitches allows sensing capability. Elastic stitches between normal stitches control the tube's bend direction and strength.

The potential applications include, for example:

Assistive gloves. Minimal muscle activity activates the glow to grasp various size and shape objects
A shirt sleeve with actuators that can assist in elbow bending
The robot responding to a human’s touch
A robot with soft pneumatic legs
Pneumatic exoskeleton that assists in lifting weights or moving

#robotics #wearables