MagBot: Reconfigurable Modular Soft Pneumatic Actuators with Tunable Magnetic Connection Mechanism

Soft robots are growing in demand due to their inherent soft nature, compliance, and versatility. These attributes make them ideal for a large range of applications. To further expand the applications of soft robotics, we present a reconfigurable modular soft robotic actuator capable of easy reconfigurations and multi-actuator assembly for versatile tasks using a single actuator design. In this paper, we introduce a novel inter-unit connection mechanism that expands the reconfiguration capabilities of our soft modular robots. The mechanism includes magnets that can semi-permanently reverse their polarity on demand to achieve tunable magnetic connections without the need to supply constant electric current. The mechanism is made from a flexible material allowing articulated connections, which enables complex spatial configuration in a multi-actuator assembly. In addition, the mechanism allows various inter-unit connections, including air, mechanical, and electrical, that reduce the complexity of operation and reconfigurability. These connections enable a multi-actuator assembly to share a single actuation source, that simplifies the design and increases the functionality. We characterize the mechanical performance of individual actuators and the connection mechanism through experiments. Examples of structural configurations are presented to demonstrate the actuators’ reconfiguration capabilities.