Soft Pneumatic Actuator Designed After Human Finger Motion

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Published: May 19, 2025
Keywords:
SPA Pneumatic Actuator Bending FEA Finger

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N. Gariya
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graphic Era Deemed To Be University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
H. Singh
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graphic Era Deemed To Be University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
S. Chamoli
Department of Mechanical Engineering, G. B. Pant Institute of Engineering and Technology, Pauri Garhwal, India
A. Shaikh
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graphic Era Deemed To Be University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
A.S. Dwivedi
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra, Haryana, India
P. Baranwal
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahbad, Uttarpradesh, India

Abstract

Soft pneumatic actuators (SPAs) are characterized by their soft, flexible, and compliant nature. Typically made from elastomeric materials, SPAs are controlled through the inflation and deflation of pneumatic chambers or channels. Their adaptability and compliance make them suitable for various applications, including deep-water exploration, wearable devices, soft robotics, and human-machine interaction. In this study, a soft pneumatic finger actuator inspired by the human finger was designed. The Ogden hyperelastic material model was used to simulate the bending behavior of the actuator. The analysis revealed that the SPA exhibited noticeable bending or deformation (19.58 mm) with higher pneumatic pressure (10 kPa). To further improve deformation or bending behavior, an air gap was introduced between adjacent chambers. This modification resulted in increased deformation (55.3 mm) of the SPA, even at lower pressures (5 kPa) compared to the original design. In the future, this design could be used for the development of soft wearable hand glove for rehabilitation exercises.

Article Details

How to Cite
Gariya, N., Singh, H. ., Chamoli, S., Shaikh, A., Dwivedi, A. S. ., & Baranwal, P. . (2025). Soft Pneumatic Actuator Designed After Human Finger Motion. Journal of Research and Applications in Mechanical Engineering, 13(2), JRAME–25. retrieved from https://ph01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jrame/article/view/258044
Issue
Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025)
Section
RESEARCH ARTICLES
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