1. Fundamentals Soft Actuators

Let's begin by examining the 1904 painting "The Great Sea Horse" and compare the human arm with the octopus arm.

<aside> <img src="/icons/forward_orange.svg" alt="/icons/forward_orange.svg" width="40px" /> Soft robotic body and actuation are seamlessly integrated!

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• The force needs to be transmitted effectively from the actuation source to the target location.
• Most importantly, the force transfer method should preserve the soft body's range of motion and natural stiffness.
• Additionally, the actuation system must generate a considerable amount of force at the actuated point.

What is an “actuator” anyway?

We consider an actuator to be a system,

• whose states at a given time are uniquely determined by a set of variables and
• exerts a force on the outside through deformation.