Embodying complex deformation in soft robots via the buckling of elastomeric shells

Cylindrical shell structures made of soft materials exhibit highly complex deformation when pressurized, making them an ideal platform to realize active and adaptable robotic systems. If instead one applies vacuum, buckling is triggered---an instability that can be fully recoverable if the shells are made of an elastomeric material. Here, we show that by carefully controlling the geometry of thin-walled cylindrical shells, distinct deformations emerge during post-buckling such as contraction, twisting, and bending. We harness these vacuum-driven deformations to build soft actuators capable of programmable and complex multiaxial motion. The proposed design strategy paths a new way to fabricate soft actuators across multiple length scales, such as surgical medical devices and sampling arms for deep ocean exploration vehicles