Soft actuators have garnered substantial interest in robotics, promising safer and more adaptable human-robot interaction. This thesis presents the development and evaluation of a novel electromagnetic soft actuator, named “MagFlex” designed to address critical challenges associated with existing soft actuators. MagFlex demonstrates remarkable capabilities, with a load-bearing capacity of 650 grams and contraction strain of 33% with speeds of up to 480 mm/s. Our experiments established precise relationships between electromagnetic force, muscle displacement, and current. Notably, our actuator surpasses the load-bearing capacities of previous similar soft actuators. These results affirm the practical utility of MagFlex and set the stage for future advances in soft robotics.

Creator

• Elbayoumi, Merna

Contributors

• Onal, Cagdas

Degree

• MS

Unit

• Robotics Engineering

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• etd-115088

Advisor

• Onal, Cagdas

Orcid

• https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0505-6754

Defense date

• 2023-12-08

Year

• 2023

Date created

• 2023-12-13

Resource type

• Thesis

Source

• etd-115088

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2024-01-25