Abstract: Various implementations include a modular soft robot including a base, an arm coupled to the base, and an actuator. The arm includes a first surface and a second surface opposite and spaced apart from the first surface. The first surface defines a plurality of channels, each channel comprising a proximal end at the first surface and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end. Each channel has a longitudinal axis extending therethrough. The actuator is configured to deform the arm.

Abstract: The gyroscope-free accelerometer based inertial sensor allows for instantaneous (not time-recursive) measurement of angular velocity, angular acceleration of the rigid body, and linear acceleration of any point on the rigid body. The analytical solution to obtain orientation measurements (angular velocity and angular acceleration) does not require knowledge of body dynamics. Measurement of the rigid body angular acceleration can be used to estimate angular velocity in sensor fusion of various inertial and non-inertial sensor. For a body moving on ground with a point of contact with zero relative acceleration, the sensor can compensate for non-gravitational, dynamic acceleration, thus, is capable of separating gravity from motion. The presented accelerometer-magnetometer based sensor can uniquely measure the orientation between two bodies with a point of contact with zero relative acceleration (e.g. a rotating joint).

Abstract: A method of determining orientation parameters of a rigid body, including: associating at least two multi-axis accelerometers with the rigid body, wherein the body has a base end, a distal end, and a line of symmetry between the base end and the distal end. The two first multi-axis accelerometers are disposed at a first point along the line of symmetry between the base end and the distal end. Each first multi-axis accelerometer is disposed at equal distances from the line of symmetry. The line of symmetry and both first multi-axis accelerometers lie in a first plane. The method further includes: associating a gyroscope with the body at the first point, equally between both first multi-axis accelerometers; gathering measured data from the two first multi-axis accelerometers and the gyroscope; and applying analysis free of calculus to determine a first inclination angle, of the body from a stable orientation.