Page 63 - Robots Androids and Animatrons : 12 Incredible Projects You Can Build

construction. Air muscles are soft, lightweight, and compliant;
they have a high power-to-weight ratio (400:1); and they can be
twisted axially and used on unaligned mountings and provide con-
tractive force around bends.
How air muscles work
The two primary components to the air muscle are a soft, stretch-
able inner rubber tube and a braided polyester mesh sleeve (see
Fig. 4.1). The rubber tube is called an “internal bladder” and is po-
sitioned inside the braided mesh sleeve.

Additional components of the air muscle are an air fitting located
on one end and two mechanical fittings (loops), each located on
one end of the air muscle, that allow one to attach the air muscle
to devices.

Soft rubber tube

4"

42

7"
Braided mesh sleeve Material: Polyester,
3
size / " nom
8
Internal rubber tube

Air Loop Loop
fitting Mesh sleeve

Relaxed & stretched

Active &
pressurized
25% contraction

4.1 Air muscle construction and function

Team LRN
Chapter four