According to the growing interest in the soft robotics research field, where various industrial and medical applications have been developed by employing soft robots. Our focus in this paper will be the Pneumatic Muscle Actuator (PMA), which is the heart of the soft robot. Achieving an accurate control method to adjust the actuator length to a predefined set point is a very difficult problem because of the hysteresis and nonlinearity behaviors of the PMA. So the construction and control of a 30 cm soft contractor pneumatic muscle actuator (SCPMA) were done here, and by using different strategies such as the PID controller, Bang-Bang controller, Neural network controller, and Fuzzy controller, to adjust the length of the (SCPMA) between 30 cm and 24 cm by utilizing the amount of air coming from the air compressor. All of these strategies will be theoretically implemented using the MATLAB/Simulink package. Also, the performance of these control systems will be compared with respect to the time-domain characteristics and the root mean square error (RMSE). As a result, the controller performance accuracy and robustness ranged from one controller to another, and we found that the fuzzy logic controller was one of the best strategies used here according to the simplicity of the implementation and the very accurate response obtained from this method.
Soft robotics is a modern technique that allows robots to have more capabilities than conventional rigid robots. Pneumatic Muscle Actuators (PMAs), also known as McKibben actuators, are an example of soft actuators. This research covered the design and production of a pneumatic robot end effector. Smooth, elastic, flexible, and soft qualities materials have contributed to the creation of Soft Robot End-Effector (SREE). To give SREE compliance, it needs to handle delicate objects while allowing it to adapt to its surroundings safely. The research focuses on the variable stiffness SREE’s inspiration design, construction, and manufacturing. As a result, a new four-fingered variable stiffness soft robot end effector was created. SREE has been designed using two types of PMAs: Contractor PMAs (CPMAs) and Extensor PMAs (EPMAs). Through tendons and Contractor PMAs, fingers can close and open. SREE was tested and put into practice to handle various object types. The innovative movement of the suggested SREE allows it to grip with only two fingers and open and close its grasp with all of its fingers.
Soft robots, which are often considered safer than rigid robots when interacting with humans due to the reduced risk of injury, have found utility in various medical and industrial fields. Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs), one of the most widely used soft actuators, have proven their efficiency in numerous applications, including prosthetic and rehabilitation robots. PAMs are lightweight, responsive, precise, and capable of delivering a high force-to-weight ratio. Their structure comprises a flexible, inflatable membrane reinforced with fibrous twine and fitted with gas-sealing fittings. For the optimal design and integration of these into control systems, it is crucial to develop mathematical models that accurately represent their functioning mechanisms. This paper introduces a general concept of PAM’s construction, its various types, and operational mechanisms, along with its key benefits and drawbacks, and also reviews the most common modeling techniques for PAM representation. Most models are grounded in PAM architecture, aiming to calculate the actuator’s force across its full axis by correlating pressure, length, and other parameters that influence actuator strength.