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This study aims to introduce a novel bidirectional soft actuator as an enhancement to conventional pneumatic network actuators. This improvement involves integrating air chambers positioned at specific angles to improve stability, adaptability and grasping efficiency in various environments.

The design approach incorporates air chambers positioned at a 45° angle relative to the horizontal direction at the actuator's terminus, along with additional chambers at a 90° angle. Mathematical models are developed for longitudinal and transverse bending, as well as for obliquely connected cavities, based on the assumption of piecewise constant curvature. Analyses are conducted on output forces, bending characteristics and end contact areas for both transverse and longitudinal ends.

The proposed soft actuator surpasses traditional pneumatic network actuators in gripping area due to the inclusion of a diagonal air cavity and a transverse pneumatic network structure at the terminus. As a result, it provides torsion and gripping force in both directions. Testing on a dedicated platform with two variants of grippers demonstrates superior gripping force capability and performance in complex environments.

Through the design of multiangle chambers, the soft actuator exhibits diverse driving angles and morphological variations, offering innovative design perspectives for industrial grasping.

The design of multiangle chambers facilitates personalized configurations of soft actuators by researchers, enabling tailored angles for specific interaction environments to achieve desired functionalities. This approach offers novel insights into soft actuator design, addressing more prevalent industrial grasping challenges.

This study introduces a novel soft actuator design that significantly enhances gripping capabilities in comparison to conventional pneumatic network actuators. The incorporation of specific air chamber configurations and mathematical modeling provides valuable insights for the development of adaptable and efficient robotic grippers for industrial and household applications.

The purpose of this study is to design and process the optimal V-shaped microstructure for 7075 aluminum alloy and reveal its wear resistance mechanism and performance.

The hydrodynamic pressure lubrication models of the nontextured, V-shaped, circular and square microtextures are established. The corresponding oil film pressure distributions are explored. The friction and wear experiments are conducted on a rotating device. The effects of the microstructure shapes and sizes on the wear mechanisms are investigated via the friction coefficients and surface morphologies.

In comparison, the V-shaped microtexture has the largest oil film carrying capacity and the lowest friction coefficient. The wear mechanism of the V-shaped microtexture is dominated by abrasive and adhesive wear. The V-shaped microtexture has excellent wear resistance under a side length of 300 µm, an interval of 300 µm and a depth of 20 µm.

This study is conductive to the design of wear-resistant surfaces for friction components.