bio inspired design
Hybrid Soft Robotic Surgical Gripper System
In digital nerve repair surgery, handling the digital nerves using traditional forceps requires surgeons to be extremely cautious in order to avoid nerve damage caused by excessively forceful manipulation from metallic rigid forceps. Soft pneumatic actuators have been increasingly adopted to broaden the biomedical applications of conventional rigid structures due to their inherent excellent compliance and compressibility. Here, a new two-arm hybrid soft surgical gripper system is proposed to reduce the risk of excessive stress to nerves and facilitate surgeons' delicate nerve manipulation in digital nerve repair surgery.
Related Publications:
1. A Hybrid Soft Robotic Surgical Gripper System for Delicate Nerve Manipulation in Digital Nerve Repair Surgery. J Guo, JH Low, X Liang, S Lee, YR Wong, CH Yeow. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics
2. Design and Evaluation of a Novel Hybrid Soft Surgical Gripper for Safe Digital Nerve Manipulation. J Guo, JH Low, YR Wong, CH Yeow. Micromachines 10 (3), 190
Tubular Jamming: A Variable Stiffening Method for Soft Robotic Structures
Tubular Jamming is a method of enhancing traditional SPAs (soft pneumatic actuators) with variable stiffness capabilities. This method enables tubular jammed beams to support the same load using less pressure than traditional SPA beams. The tubular jamming stiffening method is adaptable to motion, lightweight, and can be implemented with minimal equipment. Tubular jamming can also be applied to other soft robotic actuators. The tubular jammed hinge (TJH) for example exhibits variable stiffening capabilities and exerts torque when pressurized.
Related Publications:
1. Miller-Jackson, T., Sun, Y., Natividad, R. and Yeow, C. (2019). Tubular Jamming: A Variable Stiffening Method Toward High-Force Applications with Soft Robotic Components. Soft Robotics, 6(4), pp.468-482.
A Reconfigurable Pneumatic Bending Actuator with Replaceable Inflation Modules
A fully reconfigurable, pneumatic bending actuator is fabricated by implementing the concept of modularity to soft robotics. The actuator features independent, removable, fabric inflation modules that are attached to a common flexible but non-inflating plastic spine. The replacement of specific modules along the array facilitates the reconfiguration of the actuator’s bending trajectory and torque output; likewise, the combination of inflation modules with dissimilar geometries translates to several different trajectories on a single spine and allows the actuator to bend into assorted, unique structures.
Related Publications:
1. Natividad, R. F., Del Rosario, M. R. J., Chen, P. C. Y., & Yeow, R. C. H. (2018). A Reconfigurable Pneumatic Bending Actuator with Replaceable Inflation Modules. Soft Robotics, 5(3), 304–317. https://doi.org/10.1089/soro.2017.0064