The finished actuator can be controlled with any electro-pneumatic control system, such as the ones included in the Soft Robotics Toolkit.
In the following two subsections, two simple ways of controlling the actuator is described:
Both of these solutions are fairly simple and easy to assemble. The Arduino control system can be assembled without the need to solder anything. This makes both viable for introductory courses on soft robotics or workshops were participants have only limited or no experience working with electronics.
1. Syringe actuation
2. Arduino control
The easiest way to test the actuator is by using a syringe (60ml or more) for actuation by hand.
The actuator can now be tested:
One or two actuators can also be controlled with a simple setup consisting of an Arduino microcontroller equipped with a motorshield and pneumatic solenoid valves, air pumps, and a battery pack. The components are assembled as shown in the photo. All wires are connected by using the screw connectors on the motor shield. It is a good idea to expand and contract the tubing, as described above, when fitting it onto the Y connectors, pumps, and valves.
With the Arduino setup, the inflation and deflation of the actuators happens by switching the pumps and valves on and off. With the addition of the motor shield the Arduino microcontroller can take care of this. Sample control code that can be uploaded to the Arduino from the Arduino IDE is provided in the downloads section. Sensors can also be integrated into the setup as shown in the video below, where a light-dependent resistor triggers the actuation.
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