WO2024134865A1 - Soft robot - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a soft robot that is capable of accurately simulating the behavior of a soft device overall, that facilitates designing of a soft device, and that is further capable of changing, to a certain degree, the flexibility of a soft device on the spot according to an intended purpose (object). [Solution] A soft robot 10 has a soft device 20 comprising at least one deformable body 22 that has formed therein an internal space 21 to which a fluid is supplied. A fluid supply unit 30 is capable of adjusting the pressure at which the fluid is supplied to the internal space. A pressure detection unit 40 is capable of detecting, from the outside of the soft device, the pressure of the fluid present within the internal space. By supplying a fluid having an adjusted pressure to the internal space, the soft robot is capable of changing the form of the body and also changing the hardness of the body. The soft robot is further capable of detecting a fluctuation of the pressure of the fluid inside the internal space occurring in association with deformation of the body.

Description

Soft Robots

The present invention relates to soft robots.

Soft robots have soft devices made of flexible materials, enabling them to achieve soft movements. The soft devices have a deformable balloon-shaped member. The balloon-shaped member is configured so that its shape changes (expands and contracts) when a fluid such as water is supplied to the internal space. Soft devices are used, for example, in artificial muscles (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2022-159157 A

The pressure in the internal space of the balloon-shaped component is detected by a sensor stored in the internal space. If a rigid sensor is placed in the internal space of the balloon-shaped component, it will contain an object (sensor) that is different from the forming material, making it difficult to accurately simulate the behavior of the entire soft device, making it difficult to design the soft device. It is desirable for soft robots to be able to change the softness of the soft device to some extent on the spot to suit the purpose (target object).

The objective of the present invention is to provide a soft robot that can accurately simulate the behavior of the entire soft device, facilitates the design of the soft device, and allows the softness of the soft device to be changed to some extent on the spot to suit the purpose (target object).

The above object of the present invention is achieved by any one of the following soft robots (1) to (6).

(1) A soft device having at least one deformable body portion having an internal space to which a fluid is supplied;
a fluid supply unit that communicates with the internal space of the main body through an external passage and is capable of supplying the fluid to the internal space and adjusting a pressure of the fluid being supplied;
a pressure detection unit that communicates with the internal space of the main body through the external passage and is capable of detecting the pressure of the fluid in the internal space outside the soft device;
a control unit that controls an operation of the fluid supply unit and receives the pressure of the fluid detected by the pressure detection unit,
The fluid supply unit supplies the fluid, the pressure of which is adjusted, to the internal space, thereby changing the shape of the main body portion and changing the hardness of the main body portion,
A soft robot configured so that the pressure detection unit can detect fluctuations in the pressure of the fluid in the internal space that accompany deformation of the main body portion.

(2) a temperature adjusting unit capable of adjusting a temperature of the fluid supplied to the internal space of the main body;
a temperature detection unit that is connected to the internal space of the main body through the external passage and is capable of detecting a temperature of the fluid in the internal space outside the soft device;
The control unit controls the operation of the temperature adjustment unit, and the temperature of the fluid detected by the temperature detection unit is input.

(3) The soft robot according to (1) or (2), wherein the main body is configured to be inflatable or foldable, and the shape of the main body changes to an inflatable or foldable form by supplying the fluid to the internal space.

(4) The soft robot described in any one of (1) to (3), wherein the soft device is formed by a 3D printer.

(5) The soft robot according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the soft device has a glove shape that is fitted to the user's hand, a ring shape that is fitted to the user's finger, or a block shape.

(6) The soft robot according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the fluid is a liquid, a gas, a mixture of gas and liquid, a sol, or a gel.

The present invention makes it possible to accurately simulate the behavior of the entire soft device, facilitating the design of the soft device, and furthermore, to provide a soft robot in which the softness of the soft device can be changed to some extent on the spot to suit the purpose (target object).

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a soft robot. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a soft device. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the soft device of FIG. 2. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing another example of a soft device. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the soft device of FIG. 4. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first application example of a soft robot. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a second application example of the soft robot. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a third application example of a soft robot. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth application example of the soft robot. 10(A), 10(B), and 10(C) are schematic diagrams showing a fifth application example of the soft robot. 11(A) and 11(B) are schematic diagrams showing a sixth application example of the soft robot. 12A and 12B are schematic diagrams showing a seventh application example of the soft robot. 13(A), 13(B), 13(C), and 13(D) are schematic diagrams showing an application example 8 of the soft robot. 14(A), 14(B), and 14(C) are schematic diagrams showing a ninth application example of the soft robot.

Below, the form for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiment shown here is an example to embody the technical idea of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. Furthermore, all other possible forms, examples, and operational techniques that can be conceived by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention are included in the scope and gist of the present invention, and are included in the scope of the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents.

Furthermore, for the convenience of illustration and ease of understanding, the drawings attached to this specification may be depicted diagrammatically with appropriate changes in scale, aspect ratio, shape, etc. from the actual product, but these are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention.

In addition, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" may be used in this specification. However, unless otherwise specified, these ordinal numbers are used to identify components for the convenience of explanation, and do not specify the number or order.

The soft robot 10 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the soft robot 10. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a soft device 20, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the soft device 20 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing another example of the soft device 20, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the soft device 20 of Fig. 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, the soft robot 10 has a soft device 20, a fluid supply unit 30, a pressure detection unit 40, and a control unit 50. The soft device 20 has at least one deformable main body unit 22 having an internal space 21 to which a fluid is supplied. The fluid supply unit 30 communicates with the internal space 21 of the main body unit 22 via an external passage 60, and is capable of supplying fluid to the internal space 21 and adjusting the pressure of the supplied fluid. The pressure detection unit 40 communicates with the internal space 21 of the main body unit 22 via an external passage 60, and is capable of detecting the pressure of the fluid in the internal space 21 outside the soft device 20. The control unit 50 controls the operation of the fluid supply unit 30, and receives the pressure of the fluid detected by the pressure detection unit 40. The soft robot 10 is configured to supply the fluid, the pressure of which is adjusted by the fluid supply unit 30, to the internal space 21, thereby changing the shape of the main body unit 22 and changing the hardness of the main body unit 22. Furthermore, the soft robot 10 is configured to be able to detect fluctuations in the pressure of the fluid in the internal space 21 that accompany deformation of the main body 22 using the pressure detection unit 40. The soft robot 10 can operate the soft device 20 itself by changing the shape of the soft device 20 (operation function), and can also detect pressure changes caused by changes in the shape of the soft device 20 (state detection function).

As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment, the soft robot 10 can further include a temperature adjustment unit 70 and a temperature detection unit 80. The temperature adjustment unit 70 can adjust the temperature of the fluid supplied to the internal space 21 of the main body 22. The temperature detection unit 80 is connected to the internal space 21 of the main body 22 via an external passage 60 and can detect the temperature of the fluid in the internal space 21 outside the soft device 20. The control unit 50 controls the operation of the temperature adjustment unit 70, and the temperature of the fluid detected by the temperature detection unit 80 is input. In this way, the soft robot 10 can be configured to detect the temperature of the fluid in the internal space 21 of the main body 22 by the temperature detection unit 80. The soft robot 10 can detect the temperature of the fluid in the internal space 21 of the main body 22 (state detection function).

Of the overall configuration of the soft robot 10, the soft device 20 is referred to as the front end FE, and the external passage 60, fluid supply unit 30, pressure detection unit 40, temperature adjustment unit 70, temperature detection unit 80, and control unit 50 are referred to as the back end BE. The front end FE includes only the soft device 20, and does not include any electrical or mechanical components.

<Soft Device 20>
In this specification, the soft device 20 refers to a device that can elastically deform the shape of the main body 22 by supplying a fluid to the internal space 21 of the soft main body 22. As long as the device has at least one elastically deformable main body 22, the shape of the main body 22 and the overall shape of the soft device 20 are not particularly limited and can be appropriately modified to suit various shapes of application targets such as hands. For example, the soft device 20 can have a glove shape to be worn on the user's hand, a ring shape to be worn on the user's finger, or a block shape. The soft device 20 can have multiple main body parts 22. The multiple main body parts 22 are arranged according to the application target. When the soft device 20 has a glove shape, one main body part 22 can be arranged at a position corresponding to a specific finger or a position corresponding to a specific part in the palm. In addition, the multiple main body parts 22 can be arranged so as to follow a specific finger, to follow all fingers, to follow a specific part in the palm, or to be widely distributed on the palm. When the soft device 20 has a ring shape, one main body portion 22 can be disposed at a specific location on the inner or outer circumference of the ring. Furthermore, multiple main body portions 22 can be arranged along the inner circumference of the ring, along the outer circumference of the ring, at equal intervals, or at uneven intervals. When the soft device 20 has a block shape, one main body portion 22 can be disposed at a specific position on a certain surface. Furthermore, multiple main body portions 22 can be arranged on the same surface, or on different surfaces.

The soft device 20 shown in FIG. 1 has a main body 22 and a support 23 formed integrally with the main body 22. The support 23 can be formed to be thicker than the main body 22. The main body 22 can be formed to expand and deform when a fluid is supplied to it. The support 23 can be formed as a rigid body that does not deform when a fluid is supplied to the main body 22, or as a flexible body that can deform. Even if the support 23 is formed as a flexible body, it is not impeded from operating the soft device 20 itself or detecting pressure changes in the internal pressure of the main body 22 or the temperature of the fluid within the main body 22.

The soft device 20 can have an internal passage 24 that communicates with the internal space 21 of the main body 22 and allows fluid to flow through. The internal passage 24 can be formed in the support 23. The cross-sectional shape of the internal passage 24 can be formed in any shape, such as a circle, a semicircle, or a rectangle. The internal passage 24 can be narrowed or widened. The path of the internal passage 24 is not limited to a straight line, and can be a desired shape, such as a bent shape, a circle, or a curved shape. The internal passage 24 can have an inflow path 25 that supplies fluid to the internal space 21 of the main body 22 from the outside, and an outflow path 26 that discharges fluid from the internal space 21 of the main body 22 to the outside (see Figures 2 to 5). The inflow path 25 and the outflow path 26 do not need to be provided independently. Fluid can be supplied to the internal space 21 of the main body 22 and fluid can be discharged from the internal space 21 through a single passage.

The soft device 20 can directly supply fluid to the internal space 21 of the main body 22 and directly discharge fluid from the internal space 21 without providing an internal passage 24.

The main body 22 is configured as an inflatable or foldable type, and can be changed in shape to an inflatable or foldable type by supplying a fluid to the internal space 21. Inflatable means that the main body 22 is configured so that the surface of the main body 22 expands smoothly like a balloon. Foldable means that the main body 22 is configured so that at least two surfaces of the main body 22 expand while spreading in directions away from each other from a folded state with a folding line as a boundary. When the main body 22 is configured as an inflatable type, the direction in which the main body 22 expands and the intermediate and final shapes when expanding can be set to desired directions and shapes by partially varying the properties and thickness of the material forming the main body 22. When the main body 22 is configured as a foldable type, the direction in which the main body 22 expands and the intermediate and final shapes when expanding can be set to desired directions and shapes by folding multiple surfaces.

The direction in which the main body portion 22 is deformed can be set arbitrarily. The main body portion 22 shown in FIG. 1 has a shape that allows it to be deformed upward relative to the support portion 23 in the figure. The main body portion 22 can adopt any desired shape depending on the application, such as a shape that allows it to be deformed both upward and downward relative to the support portion 23 in the figure, a shape that allows it to be deformed downward in the figure, or a shape that allows it to be deformed toward the left at the left end of the support portion 23 in the figure.

The material from which the soft device 20 is made is not particularly limited as long as it can be used to make the main body 22 elastically deformable. For example, materials such as silicone rubber and urethane rubber can be used.

The method for forming the soft device 20 is not particularly limited as long as it can form the soft device 20 as a single unit and can reflect the digital expression. For example, the soft device 20 can be formed by a 3D printer, injection molding, electric discharge machining, etc. It is possible to predict in advance the behavior of the actual device digitally. 3D printers are preferable in that they can handle a variety of materials and can easily form complex three-dimensional objects at low cost.

The fluid used is not particularly limited as long as it has flowability. For example, the fluid may be a liquid, a gas, a mixture of gas and liquid, a sol, or a gel.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a soft device 20, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the soft device 20 of FIG. 2.

The soft device 20 has a main body 22 and a support 23. The main body 22 is disposed at the tip of the support 23 and has a bag structure. The support 23 has an inflow path 25 and an outflow path 26 formed as an internal passage 24. Fluid is supplied to the internal space 21 of the main body 22 via the inflow path 25. The fluid is discharged from the internal space 21 of the main body 22 via the outflow path 26. The main body 22 is configured as an inflatable type, and its shape changes to an inflatable type by supplying fluid to the internal space 21.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another example of the soft device 20, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the soft device 20 of FIG. 4.

The soft device 20 has three main body parts 22 and a support part 23. The three main body parts 22 are arranged at equal intervals on the upper surface of the support part 23 in the figure, and have a balloon structure. The soft device 20 has a block shape. The support part 23 has a hole part 27 into which the user's finger can be inserted. Approximately half of the lower side of the main body part 22 can be contacted by a finger inserted into the hole part 27. The support part 23 has an inflow path 25 and an outflow path 26 formed as an internal passage 24. Since the soft device 20 has three main body parts 22, it has three sets of inflow paths 25 and outflow paths 26. Fluid is supplied to the internal space 21 of the main body part 22 through the inflow path 25. The fluid is discharged from the internal space 21 of the main body part 22 through the outflow path 26. The main body part 22 is configured as an inflatable type, and its shape changes to an inflatable type by supplying fluid to the internal space 21.

<Fluid supply unit 30>
For convenience of explanation, when the internal passage 24 of the soft device 20 has an inflow passage 25 and an outflow passage 26, the external passage 60 connected to the inflow passage 25 is referred to as a first external passage 61, and the external passage 60 connected to the outflow passage 26 is referred to as a second external passage 62. As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid supply unit 30 can be disposed in the first external passage 61 connected to the soft device 20 via a joint portion 63. The type of the fluid supply unit 30 is not particularly limited as long as it can adjust the pressure of the fluid supplied to the internal space 21 and deliver the fluid. The fluid supply unit 30 can be composed of, for example, a pump or a compressor. The fluid supply unit 30 can also be configured to supply the fluid from the syringe by pushing and pulling the piston member of the syringe.

When a liquid such as water is used as the fluid, the fluid supply unit 30 can include a liquid storage bag 66 such as an IV bag via a three-way stopcock 65. The height position of the liquid storage bag 66 can be adjusted by a support stand 67. The liquid storage bag 66 can adjust the pressure of the liquid supplied to the internal space 21 by the head pressure according to the height position. The liquid storage bag 66 can be used when statically setting the pressure of the entire system when the soft robot 10 is first started. Thereafter, the liquid storage bag 66 can be blocked from the first external passage 61 by closing the three-way stopcock 65. When dynamic processing is required, such as when changing the shape of the soft device 20, when detecting pressure, or when setting pressure to change the hardness of the main body portion 22, the fluid supply unit 30 composed of a pump, a compressor, etc. can be used.

When the soft robot 10 is first used, a priming operation is required, such as removing air from the internal passage 24 and external passage 60 of the soft device 20. For this reason, a priming mechanism can be provided at an appropriate location in the external passage 60 (first external passage 61, second external passage 62).

<Pressure detection unit 40>
The pressure detection unit 40 can be disposed in the second external passage 62. The type of the pressure detection unit 40 is not particularly limited as long as it can detect the pressure of the fluid in the internal space 21 outside the soft device 20. For example, an electric pressure sensor can be used as the pressure detection unit 40. The pressure detection unit 40 also has a detector that is slidable in response to pressure fluctuations, and can detect pressure based on the distance the detector moves.

<Temperature Adjustment Unit 70>
The temperature control unit 70 may be disposed in the first external passage 61. The type of the temperature control unit 70 is not particularly limited as long as it can control the temperature of the fluid supplied to the internal space 21 of the main body 22. The temperature control unit 70 may be configured, for example, by a heater or a chiller device.

<Temperature detection unit 80>
The temperature detection unit 80 can be disposed in the second external passage 62. The type of the temperature detection unit 80 is not particularly limited as long as it can detect the temperature of the fluid in the internal space 21 outside the soft device 20. The temperature detection unit 80 can be, for example, a temperature sensor such as a thermistor. There is no flow of fluid in the area where the temperature detection unit 80 is disposed. However, by reducing the amount of fluid or using a fluid with good thermal conductivity, the temperature detection unit 80 can detect the temperature of the fluid in the internal space 21.

The temperature detection unit 80 can also be configured as follows:

A three-way stopcock 68 can be placed in the middle of the second external passage 62. A bypass passage 64 connected to the three-way stopcock 68 returns the fluid flowing out of the soft device 20 to the temperature adjustment section 70 and the fluid supply section 30. A temperature detection section 80 such as a temperature sensor (shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1) is placed in this bypass passage 64. With this configuration, the temperature of the fluid in the internal space 21 can be detected by the temperature detection section 80 at the location where flow is occurring.

When a gas is used as the fluid and the gas approximately follows the ideal gas equation of state (pV = nRT), the temperature T can be estimated from the relationship between the pressure p and the content volume V (when the amount of substance n is constant, R: molar gas constant).

A fluid that changes color depending on the temperature is used, or the second external passage 62 is formed from a resin that changes color depending on the temperature of the fluid. The temperature detection unit 80 can detect the temperature based on the change in color.

The soft device 20 itself is made of a resin that changes color depending on the temperature of the fluid. In this case, the temperature detection unit 80 can detect the temperature of the fluid in the internal space 21 outside the soft device 20 based on the change in color of the soft device 20.

<Control Unit 50>
The control unit 50 is mainly composed of a CPU and a memory, and is connected to the fluid supply unit 30, the pressure detection unit 40, the temperature adjustment unit 70, and the temperature detection unit 80 via the input/output units. The control unit 50 controls the operation of the fluid supply unit 30 and the temperature adjustment unit 70. The pressure of the fluid detected by the pressure detection unit 40 and the temperature of the fluid detected by the temperature detection unit 80 are input to the control unit 50.

The operation of the fluid supply unit 30 is controlled by the control unit 50, and supplies fluid with adjusted pressure to the internal space 21 of the main body 22 of the soft device 20. This allows the soft device 20 to determine the shape of the main body 22 and the hardness of the main body 22. When the main body 22 comes into contact with an object and deforms, and the pressure of the fluid in the internal space 21 changes as the main body 22 deforms, the control unit 50 can detect the change in pressure of the fluid in the internal space 21 based on the input signal from the pressure detection unit 40.

The temperature adjustment unit 70, whose operation is controlled by the control unit 50, adjusts the temperature of the fluid supplied to the internal space 21 of the main body 22 of the soft device 20. This allows the soft device 20 to determine the temperature of the internal space 21 of the main body 22. When the main body 22 comes into contact with an object and the temperature of the fluid in the internal space 21 changes, the control unit 50 can detect the temperature change of the fluid in the internal space 21 based on the input signal from the temperature detection unit 80.

By operating the control unit 50, the soft robot 10 can change the shape of the soft device 20 to cause the soft device 20 itself to operate (operation function). The control unit 50 can also detect pressure changes caused by changes in the shape of the soft device 20 (state detection function), and can detect the temperature of the fluid in the internal space 21 of the main body 22 (state detection function). In this way, the soft robot 10 of the embodiment is capable of not only operating, but also detecting pressure and temperature. The soft robot 10 can also simultaneously change the shape of the soft device 20 and detect the hardness/softness (pressure) and temperature of the main body 22. The soft robot 10 can also change the hardness of the main body 22 to reflect the hardness of something touched in VR (Virtual Reality).

The soft device 20 of the front-end FE does not contain any mechanical parts or electrical or electronic parts such as electrodes, but only contains forming materials. The advantage of this is that the front-end FE and back-end BE can be designed separately, and not only the deformation of the main body 22 but also the behavior of the soft device 20 itself accompanying the deformation of the main body 22 can be developed completely by 3DCG design and program. When designing the soft device 20 or performing a simulation in 3D space, there is no need to consider any play when mechanical parts are assembled, leakage from electrical or electronic parts, or deterioration of these parts over time.

In the embodiment of the soft robot 10, the hardness, shape, and temperature of the main body 22 change depending on the pressure and temperature of the fluid supplied to the main body 22. This allows sensing (detection of fluid pressure and fluid temperature) to be performed according to the object, and a soft feel (soft touch) can be achieved. To achieve this, the thickness and deformation state of the material forming the main body 22 can be adjusted in advance by 3D modeling. Furthermore, the shape, hardness, and temperature can be adjusted by adjusting the internal pressure and temperature of the main body 22 at the site of use.

In the case of a robot that combines multiple mechanical parts, such as an industrial robot, the depth of a screw groove or a single rust spot can cause a large discrepancy between the behavior of the actual machine and the behavior in the simulation, making it difficult to handle the simulation results. On the other hand, since the entire soft device 20 can be modeled using a 3D printer or the like, there is less discrepancy between the behavior of the modeled soft device 20 and the behavior in the simulation. Since there is a correspondence with a 3D model, a system that can process everything virtually (digital twin), discrepancies between the behavior of the actual machine and the behavior in the simulation are less likely to occur, and the simulation can be executed appropriately. Although ancestor words derived from materials can occur, they can be quantified to a certain extent, so discrepancies can be reduced.

The soft device 20 can be formed by 3D printing or the like, reflecting the results of a simulation in 3D space. Simulations can be used to design the device while taking into account factors such as durability.

As described above, the soft robot 10 of the embodiment can accurately simulate the behavior of the entire soft device 20, making it easy to design the soft device 20, and further providing a soft robot 10 that can change the softness of the soft device 20 to some extent on the spot to suit the purpose (target object).

[Application Examples 1 and 2]
Various application examples of the soft robot 10 will be described.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing application example 1 of the soft robot 10, and FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing application example 2 of the soft robot 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, the soft device 20 has a glove shape and has a total of six main body parts 22. For ease of understanding, the main body parts 22 are represented by hatched circles in the figure. Three main body parts 22 are arranged along the index finger of the user, and three main body parts 22 are arranged along specific parts of the palm of the hand. The fluid supply unit 30 of the soft robot 10 can supply fluid to each main body part 22, and the pressure detection unit 40 can detect pressure fluctuations in each main body part 22.

As shown in FIG. 7, the soft device 20 has a glove shape and has a total of 24 main body parts 22. For ease of understanding, the main body parts 22 are represented by hatched circles in the figure. The 15 main body parts 22 are arranged in groups of three to fit along all of the user's fingers, and the nine main body parts 22 are arranged so as to be widely distributed across the palm. The fluid supply unit 30 of the soft robot 10 can supply fluid to each main body part 22, and the pressure detection unit 40 can detect pressure fluctuations in each main body part 22.

The soft device 20 shown in Figures 6 and 7 can be used, for example, as a training tool for massage. The control unit 50 of the soft robot 10 acquires, as reference data, pressure fluctuations and temperature changes of each main body part 22 when an instructor massages. The control unit 50 of the soft robot 10 acquires pressure fluctuations and temperature changes of each main body part 22 when a trainee massages, and displays the results compared with the reference data on a display unit such as a monitor. While looking at the reference data and comparison results displayed on the monitor, the trainee can quantitatively practice how to apply force with their fingers and palms when massaging.

The soft robot 10 of application examples 1 and 2 can measure pressure, achieve human-like hardness, hardness measurement, and hardness change, and provide tactile feedback. It can also measure temperature and temperature changes. Furthermore, since the soft device 20 can be formed using a 3D printer, it is possible to provide a soft robot 10 that is inexpensive and suitable for mass production. Moreover, since the soft device 20 of the front-end FE only contains the forming material, it can be easily customized to suit the application.

[Application Example 3]
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a third application example of the soft robot 10.

As shown in FIG. 8, the soft device 20 has a block shape and one main body 22. The soft robot 10 is configured as an impact sensor that can detect the pressure of the impact when it collides with a wall or the like. The one main body 22 is crushed and deformed when it collides with a wall or the like. The control unit 50 of the soft robot 10 can obtain pressure fluctuations and temperature changes in the main body 22 as the main body 22 is crushed.

For example, automobile parts are designed to absorb the impact of a collision by breaking. For this reason, there is a demand to know how they break and what kind of pressure acts on them. Since ordinary sensors become unable to measure once they break, there is a demand for sensors that can deform as they are crushed. The soft robot 10 of Application Example 3 can meet such demands.

[Application Example 4]
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth application example of the soft robot 10.

As shown in FIG. 9, the soft device 20 has a block shape and has one main body portion 22. The support portion 23 is straight before fluid is supplied to the main body portion 22, and can be bent as shown in the figure as fluid is supplied. Since the soft device 20 of the front-end FE only contains the forming material, the change in shape due to the increase in pressure caused by the supply of fluid can be easily simulated on a 3D model. Therefore, it is easy to design a soft device 20 that bends.

[Application Example 5]
10(A), 10(B), and 10(C) are schematic diagrams showing a fifth application example of the soft robot 10.

As shown in Figures 10(A), 10(B), and 10(C), the soft device 20 has a block shape and has two main body parts 22. The soft robot 10 can operate the soft device 20 itself by changing the shape of the soft device 20 through the operation of the control unit 50 (operation function). Figure 10(A) shows the state before fluid is supplied to the main body part 22. Figure 10(B) shows the state after fluid is supplied to the main body part 22 and the main body part 22 is inflated to an appropriate hardness. Figure 10(C) shows the state after the pressure of the fluid supplied to the main body part 22 is increased and decreased at an appropriate speed, causing the main body part 22 to inflate and contract at an appropriate speed.

Fig. 10(B) can express a state in which the main body part 22 is touching the user's finger. Fig. 10(C) can express a state in which the user's finger is being gripped or released. Or, it can express whether the user's finger is being gripped by a child or an adult. These various expressions can be realized by the softness of the main body part 22 and the variation in softness.

The soft robot 10 of application example 5 can reproduce, when shaking hands in a VR game or the like, whether a child shook hands, an adult shook hands, whether the hands shook slowly or quickly, etc.

[Application Example 6]
11(A) and 11(B) are schematic diagrams showing a sixth application example of the soft robot 10.

As shown in Fig. 11(A) and Fig. 11(B), the soft device 20 has a block shape and has two main body parts 22. The soft robot 10 can change the hardness of the main body part 22 by increasing or decreasing the pressure of the fluid supplied to the main body part 22 by the operation of the control unit 50. Fig. 11(A) shows a state in which the pressure of the fluid supplied to the main body part 22 is increased to make the main body part 22 hard. Fig. 11(B) shows a state in which the pressure of the fluid supplied to the main body part 22 is decreased to make the main body part 22 soft. Fig. 11(A) can express a state in which the user's finger is touching a hard object, such as a knee. Fig. 11(B) can express a state in which the user's finger is touching a soft object, such as a cheek. These various expressions can be realized by the difference in hardness of the main body part 22.

The soft robot 10 of Application Example 6 can reproduce, in glove haptic VR, the sensation of "touching a hard material or a soft material." The soft robot 10 of Application Example 6 can also reproduce, in a robot that resembles a living thing (e.g., a cat robot), the sensation of "skin becoming soft or hard." The soft robot 10 of Application Example 6 can also reproduce, in a robot that moves around (e.g., a cleaning robot), the sensation of "becoming soft when it senses a collision with an object such as furniture or detects an imminent collision." The soft robot 10 of Application Example 6 can also reproduce, in a robot equipped with a hand that can shake hands, the sensation of "becoming soft when it senses a collision with a human hand or detects an imminent collision." By attaching such a protective glove to the hand, damage to the hand caused by being tightly gripped by a human hand can be reduced.

[Application Example 7]
12(A) and 12(B) are schematic diagrams showing a seventh application example of the soft robot 10.

As shown in Figures 12(A) and 12(B), the soft device 20 has a block shape and has two main body parts 22. Figure 12(A) shows a state in which the material forming the main body parts 22 is relatively thick, while Figure 12(B) shows a state in which the material forming the main body parts 22 is thinner than that in Figure 12(A). The soft robot 10 can adjust the pressure of the fluid supplied to the main body parts 22 by the operation of the control unit 50. Even if the same pressure of fluid is supplied to the main body parts 22, the hardness of the main body parts 22 when touched can be changed depending on the thickness of the material forming the main body parts 22.

In the case of FIG. 12(A), the material forming the main body 22 is relatively thick, so the user can feel a firmer touch. In the case of FIG. 12(B), the material forming the main body 22 is relatively thin, so the user can feel a softer touch.

Because the soft device 20 of the front end FE only contains the forming material, differences in the feel and changes in the shape of the main body 22 can be easily simulated on a 3D model based on the thickness of the material that forms the main body 22. Therefore, the thickness of the material that forms the main body 22 can be adjusted at the stage of digital 3D data before 3D printing. In other words, the hardness when touched can be adjusted even before 3D printing is performed. This makes it easy to design soft devices 20 with different thicknesses of material that forms the main body 22.

[Application Example 8]
13(A), 13(B), 13(C), and 13(D) are schematic diagrams showing an application example 8 of the soft robot 10.

As shown in Fig. 13(A), Fig. 13(B), Fig. 13(C), and Fig. 13(D), the soft device 20 has a triangular cross section and has one main body part 22 on one surface. The soft robot 10 can operate the soft device 20 itself by changing the shape of the soft device 20 through the operation of the control unit 50 (operation function). Fig. 13(A) shows the state before fluid is supplied to the main body part 22. Fig. 13(B) shows the state in which the main body part 22 is inflated by supplying fluid to the main body part 22, and the soft device 20 is slightly tilted to the right in the figure. Fig. 13(C) shows the state in which the main body part 22 is further inflated by further supplying fluid to the main body part 22, and the soft device 20 is further tilted to the right in the figure. Fig. 13(D) shows the state in which the main body part 22 is further inflated by supplying even more fluid to the main body part 22, and the entire soft device 20 is overturned to the right in the figure.

In this way, since the soft robot 10 has a movement function, it is possible to create a soft robot that moves like a tire. The control unit 50 of the soft robot 10 can adjust the pressure of the fluid supplied to the main body 22 to maintain the soft device 20 in the state shown in FIG. 13(B) or FIG. 13(C) before it falls over, for example.

[Application Example 9]
14(A), 14(B), and 14(C) are schematic diagrams showing a ninth application example of the soft robot 10.

Application example 9 is an example in which the soft robot 10 is applied to a robot hand. As shown in Figs. 14(A), 14(B), and 14(C), the soft device 20 has two main body parts 22 arranged to face each other with a predetermined distance between them. Fig. 14(A) shows a state in which a fluid is supplied to the main body part 22 and the main body part 22 is inflated to an appropriate hardness. Based on the amount of fluid supplied to the main body part 22, the degree of hardness of the main body part 22, the degree of change in the internal pressure of the main body part 22, and the degree of force to be detected are determined. Fig. 14(B) shows a state in which the main body part 22 is operated to touch an object (e.g., an apple). When the main body part 22 touches the object, the main body part 22 is deformed. The pressure detection unit 40 detects the change in pressure of the fluid in the internal space 21 due to the deformation of the main body part 22. The sensing result is obtained from the deformation of the main body part 22 and the pressure change of the fluid in the internal space 21. FIG. 14(C) shows the state in which the main body 22 senses continuous deformation, such as when grasping an object, and the grip strength is determined.

The soft robot 10 of application example 9 can record the sensations it feels when it touches an object for AI learning purposes.

[Modification]
Although the present invention has been described above through the embodiments and application examples, the present invention is not limited to the described contents, and can be appropriately modified based on the description of the claims.

The structure of each part and the arrangement of the components described in the specification may be modified as appropriate, and the use of additional components illustrated in the drawings may be omitted or other additional components may be used as appropriate.

10 Soft robot 20 Soft device 21 Internal space 22 Main body 23 Support 24 Internal passage 25 Inflow passage 26 Outflow passage 27 Hole 30 Fluid supply section 40 Pressure detection section 50 Control section 60 External passage 61 First external passage 62 Second external passage 63 Joint section 64 Bypass passage 65 Three-way stopcock 66 Liquid storage bag 67 Support stand 68 Three-way stopcock 70 Temperature adjustment section 80 Temperature detection section BE Back end FE Front end

Claims (6)

a soft device having at least one deformable body portion having an interior space into which a fluid is supplied;
a fluid supply unit that communicates with the internal space of the main body through an external passage and is capable of supplying the fluid to the internal space and adjusting a pressure of the fluid being supplied;
a pressure detection unit that communicates with the internal space of the main body through the external passage and is capable of detecting the pressure of the fluid in the internal space outside the soft device;
a control unit that controls the operation of the fluid supply unit and receives the pressure of the fluid detected by the pressure detection unit,
The fluid supply unit supplies the fluid, the pressure of which is adjusted, to the internal space, thereby changing the shape of the main body portion and changing the hardness of the main body portion,
A soft robot configured so that the pressure detection unit can detect fluctuations in the pressure of the fluid in the internal space that accompany deformation of the main body portion. a temperature adjusting unit capable of adjusting a temperature of the fluid supplied to the internal space of the main body;
a temperature detection unit that is connected to the internal space of the main body through the external passage and is capable of detecting a temperature of the fluid in the internal space outside the soft device;
The soft robot according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the temperature adjustment unit and receives the temperature of the fluid detected by the temperature detection unit. The soft robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main body is configured to be inflatable or collapsible, and the shape of the main body changes to an inflatable or collapsible form by supplying the fluid to the internal space. The soft robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the soft device is formed by a 3D printer. The soft robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the soft device has a glove shape that is fitted to a user's hand, a ring shape that is fitted to a user's finger, or a block shape. The soft robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid is a liquid, a gas, a mixture of gas and liquid, a sol, or a gel.