eCommons

 

ELASTOMERIC FOAM SYSTEMS FOR NOVEL MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND SOFT ROBOT PROPRIOCEPTION

dc.contributor.authorVan Meerbeek, Ilse Mae
dc.contributor.chairShepherd, Robert F.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberKress Gazit, Hadas
dc.contributor.committeeMemberSilberstein, Meredith
dc.contributor.committeeMemberHoffman, Guy
dc.date.accessioned2019-04-02T14:01:08Z
dc.date.available2019-07-02T06:02:29Z
dc.date.issued2018-12-30
dc.descriptionSupplemental file(s) description: Video 2.1, Video 2.2, Video 3.1
dc.description.abstractSoft materials have enabled the fabrication of novel robots with interesting and complex capabilities. The same properties that have enabled these innovations—continuous deformation, elasticity, and low elastic moduli—are the same properties that make soft robotics challenging. Soft robots have limited load-bearing capabilities, making it difficult to use them when manipulation of heavy objects is needed, for example. The ability for soft robots to deform continuously makes it difficult to model and control them, as well as impart them with adequate proprioception. This dissertation presents work that attempts to address these two main challenges by increasing load-bearing ability and improving sensing. I present a composite material comprising an open-cell foam of silicone rubber infiltrated with a low melting-temperature metal. The composite has two stiffness regimes—a rigid regime at room temperature dominated by the solid metal, and an elastomeric regime at above the melting temperature of the metal, which is dictated by the silicone. I characterize the mechanical properties of the composite material and demonstrate its ability to hold different shapes, self-heal, and actuate using shape memory. In an advance for soft robotic sensing, I present a silicone foam embedded with optical fibers that can detect when it is being bent or twisted. I applied machine learning techniques to the diffuse reflected light exiting the optical fibers to detect deformation as well as predict the magnitude of that deformation. The best models predicted the angle of bend and twist with a mean absolute error of 0.06 degrees. However, the model accuracy decreases with time due to drift of the constitutive optical fiber light intensity values. I lastly present research that reduces model error due to sensor drift using data augmentation.
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.7298/nkhm-zk56
dc.identifier.otherVanMeerbeek_cornellgrad_0058F_11240
dc.identifier.otherhttp://dissertations.umi.com/cornellgrad:11240
dc.identifier.otherbibid: 10758106
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1813/64966
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.subjectRobot Proprioception
dc.subjectSmart Materials
dc.subjectMaterials Science
dc.subjectSoft Robotics
dc.subjectRobotics
dc.subjectEngineering
dc.titleELASTOMERIC FOAM SYSTEMS FOR NOVEL MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND SOFT ROBOT PROPRIOCEPTION
dc.typedissertation or thesis
dcterms.licensehttps://hdl.handle.net/1813/59810
thesis.degree.disciplineMechanical Engineering
thesis.degree.grantorCornell University
thesis.degree.levelDoctor of Philosophy
thesis.degree.namePh. D., Mechanical Engineering

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
VanMeerbeek_cornellgrad_0058F_11240.pdf
Size:
6.35 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Video 2-1.mp4
Size:
7.31 MB
Format:
Multimedia/Video
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Video 2-2.mp4
Size:
16.15 MB
Format:
Multimedia/Video
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
Video 3-1.mp4
Size:
21.69 MB
Format:
Multimedia/Video