OpenPneu: Compact platform for pneumatic actuation with multi-channels

TL;DR

OpenPneu is a compact, scalable pneumatic actuation platform for soft robots, utilizing micro-pumps and closed-loop pressure control, demonstrated on systems with up to 10 chambers.

Contribution

It introduces a modular, multi-channel pneumatic system with integrated inflation and deflation, high precision control, and open-source software for soft robotics applications.

Findings

Supports up to 10 chambers with full pressure control

Achieves a maximum flow rate of 1.7 L/min per channel

Demonstrates stable and efficient actuation in soft robots

Abstract

This paper presents a compact system, OpenPneu, to support the pneumatic actuation for multi-chambers on soft robots. Micro-pumps are employed in the system to generate airflow and therefore no extra input as compressed air is needed. Our system conducts modular design to provide good scalability, which has been demonstrated on a prototype with ten air channels. Each air channel of OpenPneu is equipped with both the inflation and the deflation functions to provide a full range pressure supply from positive to negative with a maximal flow rate at 1.7 L/min. High precision closed-loop control of pressures has been built into our system to achieve stable and efficient dynamic performance in actuation. An open-source control interface and API in Python are provided. We also demonstrate the functionality of OpenPneu on three soft robotic systems with up to 10 chambers.