Utilizing Spatially Varying Fiber Arrays in Soft Morphing Surfaces for Grasping Applications

Abstract Soft robotic grippers have the potential for dexterous manipulation of delicate, irregularly shaped objects that conventional end effectors lack the finesse to handle; however, the infinite dimensionality resulting from the compliance of soft materials increases the complexity of achieving controlled deformation. To address this, we present a method for introducing a structure into soft bodies using discontinuous, spatially varying fiber arrays to create morphing surfaces. We demonstrate this approach through the design of a novel soft robotic gripper, in which eccentric reinforcement within a flat circular membrane induces coupled vertical and lateral deformations upon inflation. This forms a finger-like manipulator, an actuation pattern not typically achieved in similarly shaped membrane-based actuators. Multiple membrane actuators were coordinated to perform diverse grasping tasks, successfully lifting both lightweight (3.8 g) deformable objects and heavier (1.2 kg) rigid items, demonstrating the versatility of the design. The principles established in this work offer a scalable framework for embedding functional anisotropy in soft actuators to enable complex, task-oriented deformations while retaining material compliance.