Characteristic Analysis and Design Optimization of Bubble Artificial Muscles

Soft robotics requires new actuators and artificial muscles that are lighter, less expensive, and more effective than current technologies. Recently developed bubble artificial muscles (BAMs) are lightweight, flexible, inexpensive, pneumatic actuators with the capability of being scalable, contracting at a low pressure, and generating sufficient tension and contraction for assisting human mobility. The BAMs are simply fabricated by using a commercial plastic tubing with retaining rings, forming a “bubble” shape and creating a series of contractile units to attain a desired stroke. They can deliver high contraction through optimization of actuator length and radius, or high tension by strengthening their materials to operate at high pressure. Here, we present a detailed analysis of BAMs, define a model for their actuation, and verify the model through a series of experiments with fabricated BAM actuators. In tests, a maximum contraction of 43.1% and a maximum stress of 0.894 MPa were achieved, corresponding to the BAM lifting a load 1000 times its own weight (5.39 g). The BAM model was built to predict experimental performance, for example, the relationship between tension and contr