The design of the control board was based on the fluidic control board in the soft robotics toolkit.
A few key differences to note are:
- Pressure sensors were eliminated to reduce cost.
- An 8-valve manifold was used to leave room for future expansion.
- Instead of an on-board compressor, an off-board workshop air compressor supplies the necessary pressurized air.
- Power is provided by one 12V DC and one 24V DC supply.
- A sensor shield (daughter board) was used with the microcontroller to make electrical connections easier.
- Five potentiometers (one for each finger) provide manual control over each actuator.
- One potentiometer allows you to vary the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) frequency used to control the flow of air to the actuators.
- A toggle switch allows you to either select manual control with the five potentiometers, or programmed control.
- A 12-position rotary switch lets you select between twelve different hand positions and gestures.
- Choice of black for the color is much cooler.