An Efficient Framework for the Solution of Contact Mechanics Problems in Soft Robotics

Soft robots offer an exciting and novel alternative to traditional robots composed of rigid bodies. Many of the primary benefits soft robots have over more traditional robots result from their inherent compliance and their potential for low force interactions with their environments. Therefore, modeling soft robots requires the ability to accurately simulate contact mechanics. In this work, we present the solution of contact mechanics finite element problems specifically for soft robots in a MOOSE-based multiphysics simulation platform we developed, Kraken. The primary contributions of this work are threefold. Firstly, our implementations enable the modeling of additional types of contact critical to the simulation of soft robots. Next, we demonstrate how our new self contact method can be used to dramatically decrease the computational cost of contact modeling. Finally, we demonstrate the abilities of Kraken as a platform to simulate the complex interactions of soft robots and the environment.