An Origami-Inspired Negative Pressure Folding Actuator Coupling Hardness with Softness

Soft actuators have a high potential for the creative design of flexible robots and safe human–robot interaction. So far, significant progress has been made in soft actuators’ flexibility, deformation amplitude, variable stiffness. However, there are still deficiencies output force retention. This paper presents new negative pressure-driven folding actuator inspired by origami. First, we establish theoretical model to predict such an actuator’s displacement under given pressures. Next, five fabricated using three different materials evaluated on test platform. The results reveal that one generates maximum pull 1125.9 N push 818.2 N, another outputs full reaching 600 times its weight. Finally, demonstrative experiments conducted extensively, including stretching, contracting, clamping, single-arm power assistance, underwater movement. They show our performance feature coupling hardness with softness, e.g., large output, strong retention, two-way working, even muscle-like explosive strength gaining. existing desire these valuable properties.