Control Board Accessories

The fluidic control board has a few enhancements that made it easier to fabricate and operate the Fabric-Reinforced Controlled Motion Robot (FRCMR).  

Degassing chamber

An affordable degassing chamber was made out of a used glass jar with lid. The pump used in the fluidic control board is also a vacuum pump. 

Air Tanks

FRCMR requires a lot of air. For smooth, continuous movement it was best to store air in external air tanks. Air tanks were made from 2 liter soda bottles. Tubing was inserted into the cap and connected to the pump and manifold by a Y connector.
In addition to passive air tanks, the bottles can be connected directly to the robot acting as two liter squeeze bulbs. Most of the prototypes were tested using this method of inflation.