Structure Optimization for Soft Fluidic Fish Tail

Abstract

The design of the actuator is crucial for enhancing the performance of soft robots, particularly in challenging environments such as underwater. Among the most favored actuation techniques for soft underwater robots are soft fluidic actuators, which emulate the oscillatory motion of a fishtail. However, the effect of design parameters on such actuators is not yet well covered. This paper investigates the impact of design parameters on a dual soft fluidic actuator inspired by a tuna fish tail using the Finite Element Method (FEM). The study focuses on four main parameters: the actuator's outer wall thickness, the gap between the actuator's inner pillows, the number of pillows, and the thickness of the passive layer between two actuators. The study found that the outer wall thickness had the largest effect on the overall deformation. Following this, the paper experimentally assesses the performance of the resulting actuator topology against the simulation results.