The Master's thesis of researcher Nadia Radhi Khalil, entitled "Design, Construction, and Evaluation of Soft Robotic Final Effects," was discussed at the College of Engineering, University of Basra, under the supervision of Dr. Luay Ali Talib. It includes... Design, Implementation and Evaluation of Soft Robot End-effectors

The aim of this thesis is to develop a pneumatic muscle actuator-based
variable stiffness soft robot end-effector capable of achieving adaptive, reliable,
and efficient grasping performance for handling objects with different sizes,
shapes, and mechanical properties. This research aims to establish an integrated
framework that combines experimental characterization, mathematical modeling,
prototype development, and experimental validation to enhance the performance
and practicality of pneumatic muscle actuator-driven soft robotic systems.
To achieve this aim, the nonlinear behavior of the contractile pneumatic
muscle actuator is experimentally characterized under different pressure levels and
loading conditions, followed by the development and evaluation of suitable static
mathematical models. Furthermore, different hysteresis compensation techniques
are investigated to improve the modeling accuracy and provide a more reliable
representation of the actuator behavior. The variable stiffness characteristics of the
pneumatic muscle actuator are also experimentally investigated to evaluate their
influence on the adaptability and grasping capability of the proposed system.
Based on the obtained experimental and modeling results, the research aims
to design, fabricate, and analyze pneumatic muscle actuator-based soft end-
effectors with different configurations. Their kinematic behavior and grasping
performance are experimentally evaluated using various objects to assess their
adaptability and operational effectiveness. Finally, an appropriate closed-loop
control strategy is implemented to improve the positioning accuracy and overall
performance of the developed soft robotic system.