MiuraKit simplifies the design of pneumatic robots

MiuraKit simplifies the design of pneumatic robots

Arduino Team — July 18, 2023

Soft robotics is a challenging field because it comes with all the difficulties associated with conventional robotics and adds to the complexity of designing non-rigid bodies. This is no small feat, as most CAD software does not have the ability to simulate material flexibility. You also need to understand how actuators work. That's why a team of researchers from Zhejiang University and Carnegie Mellon University developed MiuraKit, a modular construction kit for pneumatic robots.

MiuraKit is not just any robot, but rather a set of tools and designs that can be combined to build shape-shifting robots and interfaces. Anything made with MiuraKit will have a few things in common: pneumatic actuation, flexibility, and origami-like structures. These structures expand or deform in different ways to suit the application. For example, one type is a simple one-dimensional expander similar to a linear actuator. Another type twists for rotary actuation. By linking different types together, roboticists can achieve complex movements.

Because these structures rely on pneumatic actuation, they require valves to control airflow. MiuraKit works with electromagnetic valves under the control of an Arduino board. It receives commands from a computer via a serial connection, but it can also operate on its own with pre-programmed instructions. MiruaKit includes almost everything needed to create a robot: 3D printable pneumatic connectors, a CAD design tool, laser cutting templates and the pump with control system. In the coming weeks, the designers plan to distribute MiuraKit to design companies and schools for evaluation.

Image credit: Cui et al.

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