2004 – OctArm – Christopher Rahn et al (American)

Penn State Research Team Develops OctArm Soft Robot Manipulator Recent interest in expanding the capabilities of robot manipulators has led to significant research in continuum manipulators. The idea behind these robots is to replace the serial chain of rigid links in conventional manipulators with smooth, continuous, and flexible links. Unlike traditional rigid-linked robots, continuum robot …

1995 – KSI Tentacle Manipulator – Immega and Antonelli (American)

Kinetic Sciences Inc. (1995) developed a tentacular robot, powered by a hybrid system of pneumatic bellows and electric motors. It can extend, contract and bend in 6 dof by using tendons threaded through cable guides. Tentacle-like manipulators with adjustable tension lines by Guy Immega Patent number: 5317952 Filing date: Dec 14, 1992 Issue date: Jun …

1990 – Inflatable Robot Arm – Yoram Koren (Israeli/American)

A world’s-first robot that he built had inflatable arm linkages for deployment in hostile and confined spaces. The inflatable robot is a low-volume and low-weight alternative to rigid arms. The inflatable robot arms can achieve the required load-bearing capacity and rigidity through the appropriate selection of size and pressure. The links of the robot are …

1984 – Bellows Robotic Arm/Trunk – James Wilson (American)

  Reference:  Science News – March 26, 1988 The Muscular Machinery of Tentacles, Trunks and Tongues Scientists discover a new way for muscles to work By STEFI WEISBURD An arm without bones could not bend. A person who tried to bend such an arm would instead end up with a short, fat bulge of biceps. …