Soft Robotics - "soft robots"

What is Soft Robotics?

The robotics experiences completely new impetus by the use of biologically inspired technologies. Thereby it relies on soft, organic structures and the imitation of movements from nature rather than on rigid materials and unyielding movements.
The goal is an intuitive and sensitive interaction of the robot. This can be achieved first through soft, organic structures, and second by highly intelligent components such as sensors or programmed algorithms. Therefore many scientific disciplines work hand in hand to explore possible applications of Soft Robotics. In the Soft Robotics therefore researchers in materials, ergonomics and biomechanics as well as biomechatronics experts closely collaborate with drive and software developers.

Possible applications of Soft Robotics

At present robots, which are "intelligent" but not resilient, are especially used in the industry. Therefore, for safety reasons, they usually work in cages, isolated from the human workers. Soft Robotics can be used in the future, for instance, in industrial companies (assistant robots), but also particularly in the area of ​​care (service robots) or the medical technology.

Soft Robotics and robolink®

The robolink® modules operate essentially on the principle of Soft Robotics - less precise than the average precisely programmed industrial robots. Thus the programming for robolink® too is substantially easier.

igus® robolink® Soft Robotics: 6 DOF articulated arm as "linear drive". The arm is "soft" and resilient. In the application only a starting point and an end point are programmed. The linear movement is guided by an axle and need not be programmed or "calculated". The system works without higher mathematics (that is without inverse kinematics).