Bio-inspired circular soft actuators for simulating defecation process of human rectum

TL;DR

This paper presents the development of bio-inspired soft circular muscle actuators and rectum models to simulate the defecation process, advancing soft robotics applications in biomedical fields.

Contribution

It introduces novel soft circular muscle actuators and rectum models specifically designed for simulating defecation, filling a gap in digestive system modeling.

Findings

Third actuator type showed best performance in contraction and pressure

Successful integration of soft materials for realistic simulation

Potential applications in biomedical soft robotics

Abstract

Soft robots have found extensive applications in the medical field, particularly in rehabilitation exercises, assisted grasping, and artificial organs. Despite significant advancements in simulating various components of the digestive system, the rectum has been largely neglected due to societal stigma. This study seeks to address this gap by developing soft circular muscle actuators (CMAs) and rectum models to replicate the defecation process. Using soft materials, both the rectum and the actuators were fabricated to enable seamless integration and attachment. We designed, fabricated, and tested three types of CMAs and compared them to the simulated results. A pneumatic system was employed to control the actuators, and simulated stool was synthesized using sodium alginate and calcium chloride. Experimental results indicated that the third type of actuator exhibited superior performance in terms of area contraction and pressure generation. The successful simulation of the defecation process highlights the potential of these soft actuators in biomedical applications, providing a foundation for further research and development in the field of soft robotics.