Work

Origami-inspired electrohydraulic soft actuators: Multimodal robotic motion for jumping, crawling, and grasping

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Soft robotic joints demonstrate significant potential for enhancing robotic performance in complex environments through safe and powerful actuation. However, simultaneously achieving high torque, rapid response, angular displacement range, and long-term reliability in a single soft actuator remains a significant challenge. To address these challenges, we present an origami-inspired electrohydraulic soft (OES) joint that utilizes electrostatic actuation to control dielectric fluid displacement, enabling full deployment of the folded structure for precise bending motions. The OES joints demonstrate a blocking torque of 48.7 mN m and a specific torque of 19.44 N m/kg. The joints can be parametrically designed to achieve specific maximum bending angles within a wide range (0°–163°), a feature not demonstrated by other flexible joints in the literature. These advancements facilitate diverse robotic applications: (i) a jumping mechanism attaining 13.9 body-height leaps with 0.17 body lengths per second forward velocity, (ii) a crawling robot achieving 1.23 body lengths per second locomotion, (iii) a bidirectional actuator with programmable angular output, and (iv) a compliant gripper combining operational safety with high-force grasping capabilities.

Source: Journal of Applied Physics

DOI: 10.1063/5.0305087

Authors: Yangyang Zhao, Jianhao Liu, Heng Fu, Yinshui Liu, Xinping Zhou

Institution: Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Soft Robotics and Applications

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,500

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China