Color-Based Sensing of Bending Deformation on Soft Robots

This paper introduces a novel approach for sensing the bending deformation on soft robots by leveraging multicolor 3D printing. The measurement of deformation enables to complete the feedback loop of deformation control on soft actuators. The working principle of our approach is based on using compact color sensors to detect deformation that is visualized by the change of color ratios. Two novel designs are presented to generate color signals on 3D printed objects, which we call an external signal generator and an internal signal generator. Signal processing and calibration methods are developed to transform the raw RGB-data into a meaningful deformation metric. Our experimental tests taken on soft pneumatic actuators verify that color signals can be stably generated and captured to indicate the bending deformation. The results also demonstrate the usability of this sensing approach in deformation control.