A Novel Modular Cable-Driven Soft Robotic Arm with Multi-Segment Reconfigurability
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arXiv
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| Auteurs principaux: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Publié: |
2026
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| _version_ | 1866917313748402176 |
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| author | Islam, Moeen Ul Ouyang, Cheng Qi, Xinda Zahid, Azlan Tan, Xiaobo Chen, Dong |
| author_facet | Islam, Moeen Ul Ouyang, Cheng Qi, Xinda Zahid, Azlan Tan, Xiaobo Chen, Dong |
| contents | This paper presents a novel, modular, cable-driven soft robotic arm featuring multi-segment reconfigurability. The proposed architecture enables a stackable system with independent segment control, allowing scalable adaptation to diverse structural and application requirements. The system is fabricated from soft silicone material and incorporates embedded tendon-routing channels with a protective dual-helical tendon structure. Experimental results showed that modular stacking substantially expanded the reachable workspace: relative to the single-segment arm, the three-segment configuration achieved up to a 13-fold increase in planar workspace area and a 38.9-fold increase in workspace volume. Furthermore, this study investigated the effect of silicone stiffness on actuator performance. The results revealed a clear trade-off between compliance and stiffness: softer silicone improved bending flexibility, while stiffer silicone improved structural rigidity and load-bearing stability. These results highlight the potential of stiffness tuning to balance compliance and strength for configuring scalable, reconfigurable soft robotic arms. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_02468 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | A Novel Modular Cable-Driven Soft Robotic Arm with Multi-Segment Reconfigurability Islam, Moeen Ul Ouyang, Cheng Qi, Xinda Zahid, Azlan Tan, Xiaobo Chen, Dong Robotics This paper presents a novel, modular, cable-driven soft robotic arm featuring multi-segment reconfigurability. The proposed architecture enables a stackable system with independent segment control, allowing scalable adaptation to diverse structural and application requirements. The system is fabricated from soft silicone material and incorporates embedded tendon-routing channels with a protective dual-helical tendon structure. Experimental results showed that modular stacking substantially expanded the reachable workspace: relative to the single-segment arm, the three-segment configuration achieved up to a 13-fold increase in planar workspace area and a 38.9-fold increase in workspace volume. Furthermore, this study investigated the effect of silicone stiffness on actuator performance. The results revealed a clear trade-off between compliance and stiffness: softer silicone improved bending flexibility, while stiffer silicone improved structural rigidity and load-bearing stability. These results highlight the potential of stiffness tuning to balance compliance and strength for configuring scalable, reconfigurable soft robotic arms. |
| title | A Novel Modular Cable-Driven Soft Robotic Arm with Multi-Segment Reconfigurability |
| topic | Robotics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.02468 |