Soft Robotic Manipulators with Enhanced Perception using Multimodal Sensory Skins

Otherlab and the Faboratory propose that a key component of future NASA robot technology will benbsp;continuum joint-based fluidic actuation, valuable for its light weight, low packing volume, inherent shock amp; vibration isolation, and ability to interact safely with unstructured environments and near humans.nbsp;Over the course of our Phase I amp; Phase II projects we have developed such a novel prototype fluidic actuation system by integrating Otherlab#39;s fluidic actuation systems with Faboratory#39;s strain sensors and further developing both.During this Sequential Phase II, we propose to further develop this system for use in relevant space environments.nbsp; We will hone the designs by exploring ways to tightly integrate the sensors into the actuator#39;s structure and develop sensors and system design methods for better system integration.nbsp; The result will be well-calibrated, self-contained, daisy-chainable fluidic actuation modules with dedicated electronics and controls. We will build 3 different sizes of continuum joint actuator to explore design tradeoffs in physical scaling. We will characterize their performance across relevantnbsp;temperature ranges and environmental conditions, and evaluate their ability to perform tasks in planetary and lunar environments. At the end of the project, we will demonstrate the actuation modules performing a variety of functions on an example rover.