No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Soft robots are spreading quickly and widely thanks to their adaptability, tolerance to uncertainties, reliability, and intrinsic safety. To predict their behaviour and optimize their design, it is fundamental to devise models that account for the fact that they are made of highly non-linear materials and can be subjected to large, continuous deformations. In this work, we focus on modelling a soft robotic device developed to provide controllable compliance and sensing capabilities to the environment. Different models for non-linear materials in FEM static simulations are tested to evaluate which type of representation is more convenient in terms of accuracy.

Despite the recent achievements in the development of open surgery tools, preserving the haptic capabilities during drilling tasks is still an open issue. In this paper, we propose a novel tool for handheld drills composed of a cover for force sensing and a haptic display for force feedback. A pneumatic device has been developed to estimate the contact force occurring during the interaction between drill bit and bones. A performance comparison with a precise commercial force sensor proved the reliability of the measurements. A haptic ring is in charge of providing cutaneous sensations helping the surgeon in performing the task. The effectiveness of our method has been confirmed by experimental results and supported by statistical analysis.