3D-Printed Electroactive Hydraulic Valves for Use in Soft Robotic Applications

Soft robotics promises developments in the research areas of safety, bio-mimicry, manipulation, human-robot interaction, and alternative locomotion techniques. The research presented here is directed towards developing an improved, low-cost, and open-source method for soft robotic control using electrorheological fluids in compact, 3D-printed electroactive hydraulic valves. We construct high-pressure electrorheological valves and deformable actuators using only commercially available materials and accessible fabrication methods. The printed valves were characterized with industrial-grade electrorheological fluid (RheOil 3.0), but the design is generalizable to other electrorheological fluids. Valve performance was shown to be an improvement over comparable work with demonstrated higher yield pressures at lower voltages (up to 230 kPa), larger flow rates (up to 15 ml/min) and lower response times (1 to 3 seconds, depending on design). The resulting valve and actuator systems enable future novel applications of electrorheological fluid-based control and hydraulics in soft robotics and other disciplines.