Multi-Chamber Origami Actuator via Dual Fabric Layers for Dexterous Motions

Multi-chamber soft actuators have demonstrated significant potential in minimally invasive surgery, robotic manipulation, and wearable devices, due to their high flexibility. However, conventional multi-chamber soft actuators are usually fabricated from soft materials and complex molding techniques, leading to a limited deformation ratio (typically <50%) and time consuming fabrication. This letter proposes a multi-chamber soft pneumatic actuator (MC-SPA) constructed from dual fabric layers and an origami-inspired structure, featuring lightweight, high integration, and dexterous motions. The Tachi-Miura polyhedron with high fold-to-deploy ratios is introduced to construct the actuator consisting of one central chamber and four sub-chambers. Meanwhile, all five chambers can achieve flexible elongation through individually supplying the air pressure. By precisely regulating the inflation and deflation of various chambers, the actuator performs programmable motions, and it can execute complex and diverse tasks by adjusting the time sequence of the input pressures. We demonstrate its applicability in different task scenarios, including soft grasping, planar locomotion, and spatial crawling, thereby validating its versatility and structural advantages for multi-functional soft robotic systems.