Wearable Soft Robotics Gripper for Increased Access to Soft Robotics Education

In recent years, the field of soft robotics has gained a significant amount of attention due to its various applications and increase in research, such as wearable robots, assembly line machines, surgical robots and search and rescue devices. A Soft Robotics Toolkit (SRT) project was developed as an open access resource to support the effort to educate and expose users from K-12 to the field of soft robotics. The SRT aims to overcome the challenge of disseminating robotic-hardware resources and to spread soft robotics educational content, which is less prevalent than that of traditional robotics. The Soft Robotic Gripper (SRG) kit was developed to encourage users to explore design, fabrication, and application of soft robotic technologies. Our motivation is to develop a soft robotics kit which can help fill this gap in academics. The initial SRG kit allowed users to assemble a hand held gripper with two silicone fingers, controlled by a center hub of electronics to grip and release objects. The silicone fingers are cast with a user-assembled mold constructed from cardboard and glue provided in the kit. Channels through the mold are made with toothpicks in order to provide clearance for the tendon actuator. The gripper could be configured to be operated manually and automatically, with an ultrasonic sensor and motor. The previous SRG was evaluated and well received by K-12 students in the USA and India.<br/>We converted the previous kit into a wearable device which could be attached to the user’s forearm and hand to better highlight the potential applications of soft robotics in assistive wearable devices. The electronics and hardware are fixed to a size-customizable sleeve which is attached to the user's forearm. The SRG extends from the wrist and is tendon driven. These modifications bolster the educational potential of the device by creating more avenues for exploration and encouragement in creative thinking in the field of assistive devices. We simplified the previous electronic design, allowing all electronics to be added to a breadboard. This will allow user interaction and engage with assembling a circuit.<br/>Our secondary goal was to reduce the production cost of the device, increasing the accessibility of the kit. Manufacturing advantages include a reduced reliance on custom injection molded components and PCBs, which both increased production cost and limited creative freedom of users. A control has also been implemented in the wearable SRG in which the plantar flexion of one of the users fingers can be used to open and close the fingers. We replaced the custom electronics and hardware components with simpler, off the shelf alternatives. This allows users to gain an understanding of common electronics, allowing for translation of their learned skills to other future projects and existing K-12 curricula. These changes allowed for the only custom piece in the kit to be a wearable garment.<br/>The effectiveness of the kit was decided by user testing and cost analysis. The revised SRG toolkit contains soft robotic components that are simple to assemble into the wearable SRG, in addition to a straightforward and educational guide on how to build your own wearable robot. The contents of the kit is sufficient for the baseline robot, but alterations can be made depending on the user’s desires. The previous electronics were successfully simplified on the current design of the wearable, tendon-actuated SRG. The improved SRG kits were beta tested with middle and high school students at an outreach event hosted by researchers. With this data, the researchers uncovered the successes and challenges resulting from the building process in order to inform design iterations. This project has increased access to soft robotics education. Furthermore, the transition from a hand held device to a wearable device will motivate students to learn about prosthetic and assistive devices inspiring future innovators in soft wearable robotics.