To: Nancy Myers

From: Jeff Johns

Date: April 12-2021
Subject: APLED 121-Reasearch Project Outline

Research Project Outline

Pneumatics in Robotics
By (Jeff Johns, Will Conklin, and Madison Kelley)
McKibben Air Muscle (Jeff) 3.5 minuets
• Introduction
• McKibben artificial muscle used in orthotics
• An orthotic is an externally applied device used to modify the structural and functional
characteristics of the neuromuscular and skeletal system
• Air muscle design
o Developed in the 1950’s
o Working principals
o Slides 4-7
• Combining air pressure and fluid power
• Modern versions of the air muscle
o Stringing muscles together for increased load bearing potential
o Using small diameter muscles together
• Advantages and disadvantages
• Conclusion (short video)
Bionics in robotics (Will) 3.5 minuets
• Festo Bionics
o Introduction
• Bionic handling assistant
o Designed to mimic an elephant trunk
o Three sections of polyamide bellows
o Hand axis with three bellows
o Fin gripper mimics fish tail
• Example of bellows section
• Bionic soft arm and hand
o Similar to bionic handling equipment
o Mate exoskeleton
o Attachments
o Artificial intelligence
• Bionic soft hand components
 • Variety of different grippers
• Conclusion
Fluid Power Gives Robot Arms All the Right Moves (Madison) 3 minuets
• Introduction
• Short clip of robot moving
• What it can do
• How it is built
• Conclusion