Educational Soft Robot Kit Modular Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional soft robot education lacks comprehensive understanding, as existing educational kits are not integrated and are often not accessible to the general public, failing to provide practical experience in operating and programming soft robots effectively.
Innovation Solution
An educational soft robot kit comprising assembly tubes with various fusion patterns and a controller that allows users to learn soft robot operations through programmed algorithms, enabling expansion, contraction, curling, bending, and distortion by controlling air flow, and featuring a thermal compression manufacturing process for durability and expandability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional soft robot education is provided through separate theory and practice components, then educational coverage is broad, but comprehensive understanding and practical experience are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate educational components (theory, practice, programming) into a single integrated soft robot kit. The kit includes pre-assembled soft robot modules with embedded sensors and controllers, allowing students to simultaneously learn theoretical concepts while conducting practical experiments and programming exercises with the same physical system, thereby achieving comprehensive understanding through unified education.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft robot kit is designed as a multi-functional educational platform that can perform various soft robot operations (expansion, contraction, bending, twisting) and support multiple educational objectives (mechanics, sensing, control, programming). This universal design allows a single kit to replace multiple separate educational tools, providing both broad coverage and deep practical experience.
2Adaptability or versatility
If soft robots use complex structures to achieve diverse movements, then functional capability is enhanced, but educational accessibility and ease of assembly are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The soft robot is divided into modular segments (body modules, limb modules, sensor modules) that can be independently manufactured and then assembled. Each module has standardized connection interfaces, allowing students to easily assemble complex soft robots with diverse movement capabilities without requiring complex manufacturing processes. The segmentation maintains functional versatility while dramatically improving ease of assembly and educational accessibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If educational soft robot kits are designed for comprehensive learning, then educational value is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The educational kit uses a nested modular architecture where basic soft robot modules serve as building blocks for more complex systems. Students start with simple nested configurations (few modules) and progressively add more modules to create complex robots. This nested design provides comprehensive educational value across multiple difficulty levels while keeping individual module complexity low and manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to easily learn and understand the operation and detection of soft robots through various assemblies, from simple to complex forms, facilitating a wider range of operations and allowing users to analyze and improve soft robot designs.
Implementation Method 1
a controller configured to control to inject or suck air into/from the air line according to a preset programmed algorithm to control the at least one assembly tube to perform at least one operation of expansion, contraction, curling, bending, and distortion according to the amount of air injected thereto
Implementation Method 2
featuring a thermal compression manufacturing process for durability and expandability
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an educational soft robot kit, and more particularly, to an educational soft robot kit through which can educate the technology of operation and detection of soft robots through programmed algorithms and experience and learn the operation of soft robots through various assemblies. The educational soft robot kit according to an aspect of the present invention includes an assembly tube, a connector, an air line, and a controller.