Harnessing Discrete Differential Geometry: A Virtual Playground for the Bilayer Soft Robotics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel simulation environment for bilayer soft robots using discrete differential geometry, enabling accurate modeling of complex deformations and interactions for improved design and control.

Contribution

The study develops a discrete differential geometry-based simulation framework that outperforms traditional methods in modeling bilayer soft robot dynamics, including contact interactions.

Findings

Superior convergence of the DER model over FEM.

Accurate simulation of complex deformations like gripping and jumping.

Enhanced understanding of bilayer soft robot behaviors.

Abstract

Soft robots have garnered significant attention due to their promising applications across various domains. A hallmark of these systems is their bilayer structure, where strain mismatch caused by differential expansion between layers induces complex deformations. Despite progress in theoretical modeling and numerical simulation, accurately capturing their dynamic behavior, especially during environmental interactions, remains challenging. This study presents a novel simulation environment based on the Discrete Elastic Rod (DER) model to address the challenge. By leveraging discrete differential geometry (DDG), the DER approach offers superior convergence compared to conventional methods like Finite Element Method (FEM), particularly in handling contact interactions -- an essential aspect of soft robot dynamics in real-world scenarios. Our simulation framework incorporates key features of bilayer structures, including stretching, bending, twisting, and inter-layer coupling. This enables the exploration of a wide range of dynamic behaviors for bilayer soft robots, such as gripping, crawling, jumping, and swimming. The insights gained from this work provide a robust foundation for the design and control of advanced bilayer soft robotic systems.