Abstract: A multi-airbag bionic soft robot is designed, which consists of several connected airbags sitting on a two-layer base. The robot bends when airbags are inflated. Two friction plates are mounted at the bottom to generate different friction forces in the front and back to make the robot move forward. The locomotion analysis is completed and structure of the robot is improved according to the finite element analysis of internal stress and strain by using software ANSYS. By using the Yeoh model, dynamics analysis of the moving process is finished and the non-linear relationship between pressure inside the airbags and stride length of the robot under theoretical conditions is obtained. Finally, an experiment is conducted to verify the moving mode of the bionic soft robot. Results indicate that the experimental stride length is 19.25mm, which is basically consistent with the theoretical one 22.85mm.

Key words: soft robot, bionic robot, locomotion properties, airbag