Digital Actuation Control of Soft Robotic Origami With Self-Folding Liquid Crystal Elastomer Hinges

Abstract

Soft robotics has sought to integrate seamless, programmable shape morphing into dynamic, complex structures. We present a design-for-manufacturing focused approach leveraging reversible shape memory materials to create soft-rigid hybrid self-folding origami robots with fully reconfigurable, reversible actuation. Highly repeatable, closed loop, digital actuation control is achieved through integrated Joule heating of liquid crystal elastomer hinges. Embedded heating traces preserve the planar geometry of origami structures while maximizing the accessible range of motion. We introduce a hybrid direct ink write additive manufacturing system that embeds prefabricated sheet materials, such as flexible printed circuit boards, into 3D printed liquid crystal elastomers to create multi-material composite structures. This approach enables streamlined fabrication of durable soft robotic origami structures with integrated and reconfigurable actuation, which demonstrate more than 1500 cycles with minimal performance degradation.