Review on Research Progress of Hydraulic Powered Soft Actuators

Hu Shi (), Kun Tan, Boyang Zhang and Wenqiao Liu
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Hu Shi: School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Kun Tan: School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Boyang Zhang: School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Wenqiao Liu: School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 23, 1-15

Abstract: Soft actuators have received extensive attention in robotics and smart device applications due to their distinctive dexterity and compliance. Among them, hydraulic soft actuators play an important role in the area because they have much higher specific power and power density than other types such as pneumatic soft actuators. Nevertheless, the deformation of flexible materials in soft actuators brings about inherent hysteresis and nonlinearity, which severely hinders them from producing the desired movement in the presence of advanced control strategies. In this paper, previous research efforts made to enhance the driving capability and actuation efficiency of hydraulic soft actuators are illustrated and analyzed from the three aspects of architecture, materials, and control strategy. Meanwhile, the issues and challenges that have emerged when developing hydraulic soft actuators are discussed. Finally, the potential future development of hydraulic powered soft actuators is discussed.

Keywords: soft actuator; hydraulic drive; smart material; hysteretic nonlinearity; control strategy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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