US 12,441,447 B2
Smart soft actuation unit for underwater applications
Zheng Wang, Hong Kong (HK); Zhong Shen, Hong Kong (HK); and Yafei Zhao, Hong Kong (HK)
Assigned to VERSITECH LIMITED, Hong Kong (HK)
Appl. No. 17/920,813
Filed by VERSITECH LIMITED, Hong Kong (HK)
PCT Filed Mar. 22, 2021, PCT No. PCT/CN2021/082048
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 24, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/218487, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/017,680, filed on Apr. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0159144 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. B63C 11/52 (2006.01); B25J 15/00 (2006.01); B25J 19/02 (2006.01)
CPC B63C 11/52 (2013.01) [B25J 15/0023 (2013.01); B25J 19/021 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for underwater applications, comprising:
a photodiode tube;
an LED tube;
a soft origami fluidic actuator that is extendable and compressible along a longitudinal axis,
wherein the soft origami fluidic actuator is axially disposed between the photodiode tube at a first axial end of the soft origami fluidic actuator and the LED tube disposed at a second axial end of the soft origami fluidic actuator that is disposed opposite the first axial end;
a plurality of optical waveguides each arranged external to the soft origami fluidic actuator and configured to follow motion of the soft origami fluidic actuator along the longitudinal axis,
wherein the plurality of optical waveguides are configured, and arranged relative to the soft origami fluidic actuator, to buckle into geometric concavities of the soft origami fluidic actuator in response to compression of the soft origami fluidic actuator along the longitudinal axis; and
a plurality of sensors configured to obtain an optical signal from the plurality of optical waveguides.