Dynamics-Based Design of a Soft Robot

This paper develops a methodology for converting the results of coarse dynamic simulations into fully realized designs. In particular, we demonstrate how to convert a caterpillar-like soft-bodied robot from a lumped-parameter form into a CAD model that could be easily manufactured. To simplify this design problem, we propose a decomposition method involving three steps. The first step groups the elements of the lumped model into segments. This segmentation simplifies the second step, where rough CAD models are automatically synthesized for each segment from the union of many prisms. In the third step, a human designer combines and smoothes these segment models to create a full-body CAD model. This approach simplifies the development of a high degree-of-freedom soft robot by guiding the designer to a final model with an almost fully automated process.