Supplementary Video Soft, Fiber reinforced Bellow Actuators

Paper: sites.bu.edu/r...
Stacked balloon actuators, constructed from heatand
pressure-bonded, stacked layers of sheet films have demonstrated
their utility in soft robotics for performing intricate tasks
and adapting to space-constrained environments. However, these
actuators face limitations such as reduced force output at low
displacement heights due to buckling and small retractive forces
at high displacement heights due to radial collapse under vacuum.
To mitigate these issues, we introduce a method for integrating
fiber reinforcements: a nylon mesh fabric that increases
the tensile strength of the actuator’s structural layers without
constraining the maximum inflated height, and a heat-sealable
nylon taffeta fabric that provides radial support to the actuator’s
multi-chamber design. We demonstrate the advantages of this
approach in a quadruped soft robot, showcasing improved force
output, actuation speed, and the advantageous use of actuator’s
collapsibility for shape morphing.