3D Printing an Assembled Biomimetic Robotic Finger

We present a novel approach for fabricating cable-driven robotic systems. Particularly, we show that a biomimetic finger featuring accurate bone geometry, ligament structures, and viscoelastic tendons can be synthesized as a single part using a mutli-material 3D printer. This fabrication method eliminates the need to engineer an interface between the rigid skeletal structure and elastic tendon system. The artificial muscles required to drive the printed tendons of the finger can also be printed in place. MuJoCo, a physics simulation engine which can be used to generate control strategies, is used to develop a model of the non-linear platform. A physical test bed is used to compare the simulation results to a printed prototype. This lays the groundwork for a new robotics design approach, where the fabrication and assembly is automated.