Modular Soft Fluidic Robots with Integrated Sensing – MoSoBot

MoSoBot introduces a new concept of Soft Modular Fluidic Robots (SMFR), fully 3D-printed and equipped with strain sensors. These robots combine actuator modules capable of extension/compression, torsion, and bending, developed from preliminary research, and integrating graphene nanoplatelet-based sensors. One of the project’s main objectives is to integrate these sensors directly into each actuator module to enable precise local motion control and interaction with the environment by detecting external forces. The sensors, manufactured using 3D inkjet printing, will first be characterized on test samples before being integrated into the SMFR. MoSoBot will rely on parametric optimization techniques to determine the optimal module arrangement and ensure the desired robotic performance. This approach is based on Finite Element Models that allow the simulation and optimization of the module layout within the SMFR. Additionally, the integration of strain sensors for each type of actuator module will provide real-time feedback, enhancing system accuracy and adaptability in dynamic and uncertain environments. MoSoBot also aims to tackle the challenges of static and dynamic control of soft robots, particularly in managing motion precision. The project's advancements will be validated through two demonstrators: one in a serial configuration and the other in a parallel configuration, specifically designed for pick-and-place tasks as well as precise positioning and assembly operations in interaction with the environment. MoSoBot thus paves the way for a new generation of soft robots equipped with integrated sensors measuring extension/compression, torsion, and bending, capable of effective interaction and high adaptability in complex environments.