Comparison of Silicone–Based Pneumatic Soft Bending Actuators with Stiffening Capabilities in Terms of Performances and Sustainability

In this paper, two concepts of silicone–based pneumatic soft bending actuators with stiffening capability are presented and compared in terms of performances and sustainability. The first concept is a PneuNet bending actuator with a vacuum chamber, while the second one is a Fiber–reinforced bending actuator, again with a vacuum chamber. Both soft actuators are able to perform a bending movement and are able to increase their stiffness through layer jamming. The two concepts are first compared in terms of overall performances, namely bending behavior, capability to exert tip forces and stiffening capability. After, they are compared in terms of sustainability, through the analysis of the energy that they require for movement execution.