2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper presents a college-level project to develop a simplified soft robotic fish with the end goal of creating an engaging toy for children. The project uses 3D-printed components and molded silicone to create a hydraulically actuated fish. The motivation for developing this project was to introduce students to soft robotics with an emphasis on learning the concepts of soft materials fabrication, 3D printing, hydraulics, buoyancy, and actuation and control. The proposed activity was created by undergraduate engineering students to be used as teaching materials for other undergraduate students and to expose them to soft robotic concepts. The project was developed based on the idea that the development of learning activities by students and for students might increase engagement and interest. Implementation can include hands-on laboratory exercises or small group learning activities. Students are tasked with producing a functional and enjoyable toy product for the target audience emphasizing practical applications of soft robotics. The fish toy is non-autonomous and powered externally through tubes and two hand pumps or syringes to generate a hydraulic pressure differential to move the tail and propel the fish toy. This design provides an opportunity for students to explore non-traditional materials and actuation methods. Instead of using typical rigid link mechanisms, this project uses soft materials for actuation, which brings a unique perspective to engineering. The project contains more than movement or locomotion by including various metrics of success. The metrics include reliability, durability, simplicity of assembly, and potential incorporation of extended features and experiences into classrooms. An example of this would be onboard actuation and control which will be discussed as an alternative. The project enables a comprehensive learning experience that exposes students to many different aspects of soft robotics, ideally allowing them to improve their knowledge retention. This paper presents comprehensive documentation of how the student-designed prototype was constructed and could be adapted for a classroom, an itemized list of requisite materials, and explores potential design permutations. It serves as a valuable reference for the potential integration of the project into the mechanical engineering curriculum at Rowan University through courses like Machine Design and Mechatronics, or at other institutions that offer similar courses.