{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/156820"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/156820","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Hybrid Soft-Rigid Robots: Investigating Series and Parallel Configurations","abstract":"The diverse set of traits that soft-rigid robots possess have the potential to be applied towards a multitude of applications that require both strength and flexibility. This thesis looks at two kinds of soft-rigid robotic systems: the first is a series assembly of soft-rigid modules with stiffness modulation to form a soft-rigid robotic arm, and the second system is a parallel assembly of rigid bones casted into silicone to form a passive soft-rigid flipper for a robotic sea turtle. We first introduce a new class of soft-rigid modules that can modulate their stiffness on a continuum through tendon-driven actuation and the integration of \"soft\" and \"rigid\" components. Their serial assembly form a self-standing, soft-rigid robotic arm (SRRA). When coupled with an adapted soft PD+ controller, we generate trajectories that demonstrate the manipulator’s ability to deform for maneuvering tasks and stiffen for load-bearing tasks. The robotic sea turtle’s parallel, soft-rigid flippers emulate those of its animal counterpart. To leverage this structure for underwater locomotion, we look at a CPG-coupled reinforcement learning framework to optimize for a forward swimming gait.","abstract_html":"The diverse set of traits that soft-rigid robots possess have the potential to be applied towards a multitude of applications that require both strength and flexibility. This thesis looks at two kinds of soft-rigid robotic systems: the first is a series assembly of soft-rigid modules with stiffness modulation to form a soft-rigid robotic arm, and the second system is a parallel assembly of rigid bones casted into silicone to form a passive soft-rigid flipper for a robotic sea turtle. We first introduce a new class of soft-rigid modules that can modulate their stiffness on a continuum through tendon-driven actuation and the integration of "soft" and "rigid" components. Their serial assembly form a self-standing, soft-rigid robotic arm (SRRA). When coupled with an adapted soft PD+ controller, we generate trajectories that demonstrate the manipulator’s ability to deform for maneuvering tasks and stiffen for load-bearing tasks. The robotic sea turtle’s parallel, soft-rigid flippers emulate those of its animal counterpart. To leverage this structure for underwater locomotion, we look at a CPG-coupled reinforcement learning framework to optimize for a forward swimming gait.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sologuren, Emily R."],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":"Master","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Rus, Daniela"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-05","date_published":"2024-05","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:10Z","subjects":[],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted","Copyright retained by author(s)"],"rights_urls":["https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/156820","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Rus, Daniela"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 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This thesis looks at two kinds of soft-rigid robotic systems: the first is a series assembly of soft-rigid modules with stiffness modulation to form a soft-rigid robotic arm, and the second system is a parallel assembly of rigid bones casted into silicone to form a passive soft-rigid flipper for a robotic sea turtle. We first introduce a new class of soft-rigid modules that can modulate their stiffness on a continuum through tendon-driven actuation and the integration of \"soft\" and \"rigid\" components. Their serial assembly form a self-standing, soft-rigid robotic arm (SRRA). When coupled with an adapted soft PD+ controller, we generate trajectories that demonstrate the manipulator’s ability to deform for maneuvering tasks and stiffen for load-bearing tasks. The robotic sea turtle’s parallel, soft-rigid flippers emulate those of its animal counterpart. To leverage this structure for underwater locomotion, we look at a CPG-coupled reinforcement learning framework to optimize for a forward swimming gait."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["M.Eng."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Hybrid Soft-Rigid Robots: Investigating Series and Parallel Configurations"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Rus, Daniela"],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science"],"dc:creator":["Sologuren, Emily R."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2024-09-16T13:51:09Z"],"dc:date.available":["2024-09-16T13:51:09Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2024-05"],"dc:description.abstract":["The diverse set of traits that soft-rigid robots possess have the potential to be applied towards a multitude of applications that require both strength and flexibility. This thesis looks at two kinds of soft-rigid robotic systems: the first is a series assembly of soft-rigid modules with stiffness modulation to form a soft-rigid robotic arm, and the second system is a parallel assembly of rigid bones casted into silicone to form a passive soft-rigid flipper for a robotic sea turtle. We first introduce a new class of soft-rigid modules that can modulate their stiffness on a continuum through tendon-driven actuation and the integration of \"soft\" and \"rigid\" components. Their serial assembly form a self-standing, soft-rigid robotic arm (SRRA). When coupled with an adapted soft PD+ controller, we generate trajectories that demonstrate the manipulator’s ability to deform for maneuvering tasks and stiffen for load-bearing tasks. The robotic sea turtle’s parallel, soft-rigid flippers emulate those of its animal counterpart. To leverage this structure for underwater locomotion, we look at a CPG-coupled reinforcement learning framework to optimize for a forward swimming gait."],"dc:description.degree":["M.Eng."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/156820"],"dc:publisher":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted","Copyright retained by author(s)"],"dc:rights.uri":["https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/"],"dc:title":["Hybrid Soft-Rigid Robots: Investigating Series and Parallel Configurations"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master","Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:10Z"}