Soft robots and kangaroo tails: Modulating compliance in continuum structures through mechanical layer jamming

Abstract

We present a new approach to creating biologically inspired, variable compliance continuum robot sections. Variable compliance is used to great effect in natural continuum structures, such as the arms of octopuses and the tails of kangaroos. We introduce a new approach to variable compliance robots based on mechanical layer jamming. The new design actively tightens and loosens mesh coverings of interleaved surface layers. This mechanical approach to layer jamming avoids problems arising from previously proposed pressure (pneumatic)-based layer jamming implementations. Experiments using a prototype of the new design demonstrate the potential of the approach to produce novel soft and compliant robots.