biostudies-literatureUnknown9Ko UHThe emerging field of soft robotics often relies on soft actuators powered by pressurized fluids to obtain a variety of movements. Strategic incorporation of soft actuators can greatly increase the degree of freedom of soft robots thereby bestowing them with a range of movements. Balloon actuators are extensively used to achieve various motions such as bending, twisting, and expanding. A detailed understanding of how material properties and architectural designs of balloon actuators influence their motions will greatly enable the application of these soft actuators. In this study, we developed a framework involving experimental and theoretical analyses, including computational analysis, delineating material and geometrical parameters of balloon actuators to their bending motions. FurthermoFrontiers in robotics and AI991748https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9528995biostudies-literatureCharacterization of bending balloon actuators.PMC9528995Kumar VKo UHRosen BVarghese SfalseCharacterization of bending balloon actuators.The emerging field of soft robotics often relies on soft actuators powered by pressurized fluids to obtain a variety of movements. Strategic incorporation of soft actuators can greatly increase the degree of freedom of soft robots thereby bestowing them with a range of movements. Balloon actuators are extensively used to achieve various motions such as bending, twisting, and expanding. A detailed understanding of how material properties and architectural designs of balloon actuators influence their motions will greatly enable the application of these soft actuators. In this study, we developed a framework involving experimental and theoretical analyses, including computational analysis, delineating material and geometrical parameters of balloon actuators to their bending motions. Furthermo2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222025-04-19T09:59:18.961Z2025-04-19T09:59:18.961ZS-EPMC95289953619938910.3389/frobt.2022.991748