• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2021

Soft robot research has been actively conducted due to the advantages of soft materials that have less motion restrictions and higher energy efficiency compared to rigid robots. In particular, soft robots are being applied in more and more diverse fields, and the need for soft robots is increasing, especially when dealing with soft or deformable objects that rigid robots cannot perform. Various soft robots are being developed, and studies on artificial muscles with versatility, seamless integration with sensing, and self-healing capabilities are being proposed. In this study, we propose one of the most simple rectangular shaped HASEL (Hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic) actuators and compare the performance according to shape deformation such as the size or ratio of actuators and electrodes. Developing these actuators can be used in many ways for artificial muscles in soft robotics.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2021

The gripper with a soft pneumatic actuator uses a soft material, unlike the gripper that uses a rigid body, so it is safer and lighter to interact with objects without advanced control technology. Among the soft pneumatic actuators that have been studied, PneuNets actuators have bellows shape, which enable quick operation and complete bending with only small material deformation at low pressure. In this study, we suggested improved form of PneuNets actuators to obtain the performance of the soft actuator that a larger bending angle and larger bending force at a small pressure. An experiment was designed and conducted to measure the bending angle and bending force according to the pressure. As a result, it was confirmed through experiments that the improved model has a maximum bending angle at a pressure of 5 kPa lower than that of the previous model, and a maximum bending force of 1.97 times at the same pressure.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2021

As the robot industry develops, industrial automation uses industrial robots in many parts of the manufacturing industry. However, rigidity-based conventional robots have a disadvantage in that they are challenging to use in environments where they grab fragile objects or interact with people because of their high rigidity. Therefore, researches on soft robot have been actively conducted. The soft robot can hold or manipulate fragile objects by using its compliance and has high safety even in an atypical environment with human interaction. However, these advantages are difficult to use in dynamic situations and control by the material's nonlinear behavior. However, for the soft robot to be used in the industry, control is essential. Therefore, in this paper, real-time PD control is applied, and the behavior of the soft actuator is analyzed by providing various waveforms as inputs. Also, Iterative learning control (ILC) is applied to reduce errors and select an ILC type suitable for soft actuators.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.531-537
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• 2015

Hand function is one of the essential functions required to perform the activities of daily living, and wearable robots that assist or recover hand functions have been consistently developed. Previously, wearable robots commonly employed conventional robotic technology such as linkage which consists of rigid links and pin joints. Recently, as the interest in soft robotics has increased, many attempts to develop a wearable robot with a soft structure have been made and are in progress in order to reduce size and weight. This paper presents the concept of a soft wearable robot composed of a soft structure by comparing it with conventional wearable robots. After that, currently developed soft wearable robots and related issues are introduced.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2024

This study introduces a novel method for predicting the shape of soft catheter robots embedded with electromagnets. As an advancement in the realm of soft robotics, these catheter robots are crafted from flexible and pliable materials, ensuring enhanced safety and adaptability during interactions with human tissues. Given the pivotal role of catheters in minimally invasive surgeries (MIS), our design stands out by facilitating active control over the orientation and intensity of the inbuilt electromagnets. This ensures precise targeting and manipulation of the catheter segments. The research encompasses a comprehensive breakdown of the magnetic modeling, tracking algorithms, experimental layout, and analytical techniques. Both simulation and experimental results validate the efficacy of our method, underscoring its potential to augment accuracy in MIS and revolutionize healthcare-oriented soft robotics.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.443-448
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• 2014

Soft errors in memory devices that caused by radiation are the main threat from a reliability point of view. This threat can be commonly overcome with the combination of SEC (Single-Error Correction) codes and scrubbing technique. The interleaving architecture can give memory devices the ability of tolerating these soft errors, especially against multiple-bit soft errors. And the interleaving distance plays a key role in building the tolerance against multiple-bit soft errors. This paper proposes a reliability model of an interleaved memory device which suffers from multiple-bit soft errors and are protected by a combination of SEC code and scrubbing. The proposed model shows how the interleaving distance works to improve the reliability and can be used to make a decision in determining optimal scrubbing technique to meet the demands in reliability.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2021

Soft robotics has attracted a huge amount of interest in the recent decade or so, be it either actuators or sensors. Recently, a soft optical waveguide sensor has proven its effectiveness for various sensing applications such as strain, force, and bending measurements. The operation principle of the waveguide is simple, but the present technology is far too much complex to manufacture the waveguide. The waveguide fails to attract various practical applications in comparison to other types of sensors despite its superior safety and ease working principle. This study pursues to develop the soft sensors based on the optical phenomena so that the waveguide can be easily manufactured and its design can be conducted. Several physical properties of the waveguide are confirmed through the repetitive experiments in the aspects of strain, force, and bending of the waveguide. Finally, the waveguide sensor is embedded inside the actuator to verify the effectiveness of the proposed waveguide as well as to extend the application fields of the waveguide sensor.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.2693-2695
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• 2003

Recent advancement in technology raises fundamental questions: "what is right technology for human?", "how can we build machines for human welfare?" Interactive technology and soft engineering deals with these problems. Personal robotics for the elderly seems to be a major area in which to explore these ideas. We can start by asking "what are inhumane human conditions to be resolved by technology?" Issues lain robotics for the elderly are described and desirable roles for the robots in such applications are presented. Interdisciplinary science approach is proposed to successfully implement this technology for the elderly.

• Advances in robotics research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.69-97
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• 2018

Innovation is considered as key to ensure continuous advancement and firm progress in any field. Robotics, with no exception, has gained triumph and approval based on its strength to address divers range of applications as well as its capacity to adapt new ways and means to enhance its applicability. The core of novelty in robotics technology is the perpetual curiosity of human beings to imitate natural systems. This desire urges to continuously explore and find new feet. In the past, contemporary machines, in different shapes, sizes and capabilities, were developed that can perform variety of tasks. The major advantage of these developments was the ability to exhibit superior control, strength and repeatability than the corresponding systems they were replicating. However, these systems were rigid and composed of hard an underlying structure, which is a constraint in bringing into being the compliance that exists in natural organisms. Inspiration of achieving such compliance and to take the full advantage of the design scheme of biological systems compelled researchers and scientists to develop systems avoiding conventional rigid structures. This ambition, to produce biological duos, needs soft and more flexible materials and structures to realize innovative robotic systems. This new footpath to craft biological mockups facilitates further to exploit new materials, novel design methodologies and new control techniques. This paper presents an appraisal on such innovative comprehensions, conferring to their design specific importance. This demonstration is potentially useful to prompt the novelty of soft robotics.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.08a
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• pp.814-819
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• 2004

Soft engineering, based on symbiotic coexistence of human, machines and environment, is a new engineering field to explore the proper technology and the proper way of engineering. To explore soft engineering intents easily, various robot projects at Pusan National University conducted are presented. Thought experiment, interactive e-leaning, rapid prototyping engineering, biomimciry, tangibility, and ubiquity are concepts to be explored. Thought experiments projects are organized and performed, which include robot assembly game, Turing test, and robotics in science fiction. "Junk robot project" and "ubiquitous Pusan National University (u-PNU) project" have been organized. Also, bug robot project, interactive robot project, and interactive emotional robot projects are introduced. Weekly science fiction films are shown and discussed.