Modelling of a soft multi-chambered climbing robot and experiments

Abstract Soft robots have wide potential applications prospects in unstructured environments owing to their being able to imitate forms of motion of creatures in climbing and creeping through small spaces. By utilising the high flexibility of soft materials, a pneumatic soft climbing robot was designed. At first, a model for soft climbing robots with a stiffness gradient was designed according to the drive mode of pneumatic networks in soft robots. Afterwards, the visco-mechanical properties of robots at the contact surface were analysed and also the deformation characteristics of cavities were discussed by using the method of minimum potential energy. Subsequently, through simulation and use of the finite element method, the optimal number of cavities in an actuator required by a climbing robot was calculated and also the climbing behaviours of the robot were analysed. Finally, by employing 3D printing and layer-by-layer casting, a prototype soft climbing robot was prepared to perform climbing experiments. The research is expected to provide a new method for monitoring complex unstructured environments.