Earthworm‐Inspired Multi‐Material, Adaptive Strain‐Limiting, Hybrid Actuators for Soft Robots

This research presents a new class of versatile multi-material hybrid actuators (MASH actuators), powered by pneumatics and electrostatic adhesion (EA)-based adaptive strain-limiting layers. Soft pneumatic with layers as the mainstream actuation for soft robotics have been developed decades. However, due to their permanent layers, those possess fewer motion patterns. Inspired longitudinal muscles earthworm, concept an layer ability vary its length, stiffness, position is presented. By integrating two flexible EA brakes into actuator can achieve multiple patterns including extension, contraction, bilateral bending, permutations among these motions. The EA-based increase original length up 86%, baseline stiffness 605%. To demonstrate potential in locomotion manipulation, earthworm-inspired crawling robot possessing great terrain adaptability robotic gripper based on this are developed.