ACS Applied Electronic Materials,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
5(11), P. 6003 - 6013
Published: Oct. 26, 2023
As
high-efficiency
electrical
responsive
materials,
multilayer
dielectric
elastomer
actuators
(DEAs)
have
been
widely
adopted
in
fabricating
soft
robotics.
Among
various
candidate
liquid
metal
(LM)
is
especially
suitable
to
be
used
as
a
flexible
electrode
for
DEAs
owing
its
high
conductivity
and
negligible
stiffness.
However,
limited
by
the
printing
techniques,
former
works
still
did
not
achieve
embedded
with
LM
electrodes.
To
further
push
forward
progress
this
direction,
present
work
proposes
an
easygoing
way
electrodes
combining
spray-printing
high-speed
spin
procedures
together.
Over
conceptual
experiments,
effects
of
rotational
speed
on
surface
topology,
mechanical
behaviors,
properties
investigated
optimum
value
4000
rpm
recommended
removing
excess
LM.
Following
that,
DEA
thus
integrated
presents
stiffness
change
compared
pure
displays
rather
good
resistance
cyclic
behaviors.
Finally,
cylindrical
device
six
layers
seven
silicone
film
constructed
demonstrated
generate
blocked
force
8.76
mN
at
bipolar
sinusoidal
voltage
1000
V
1
Hz,
warranting
feasibility
current
approaches.
This
expands
repertoire
fabrication
methods
holds
significant
promise
robotics
near
future.
Advanced Materials,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
36(31)
Published: June 5, 2024
Abstract
High‐dielectric‐constant
elastomers
always
play
a
critical
role
in
the
development
of
wearable
electronics
for
actuation,
energy
storage,
and
sensing;
therefore,
there
is
an
urgent
need
effective
strategies
to
enhance
dielectric
constants.
The
present
methods
mainly
involve
adding
inorganic
or
conductive
fillers
polymer
elastomers,
however,
addition
causes
series
problems,
such
as
large
loss,
increased
modulus,
deteriorating
interface
conditions.
Here,
elastification
relaxor
ferroelectric
polymers
investigated
through
slight
cross‐linking,
aiming
obtain
intrinsic
with
high‐dielectric
By
cross‐linking
poly(vinylidene
fluoride‐ter‐trifluoroethylene‐ter‐chlorofluoroethylene)
long
soft
chain
cross‐linker,
elastomer
enhanced
constant
obtained,
twice
that
pristine
surpassing
all
reported
elastomers.
This
maintains
its
over
wide
temperature
range
exhibits
robust
mechanical
fatigue
resistance,
chemical
stability,
thermal
stability.
Moreover,
ferroelectricity
remains
stable
under
strains
up
80%.
study
offers
simple
way
thus
facilitating
advancements
robots,
biosensors,
electronics.
Sensors,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
24(12), P. 3787 - 3787
Published: June 11, 2024
Conventional
passive
ankle
foot
orthoses
(AFOs)
have
not
seen
substantial
advances
or
functional
improvements
for
decades,
failing
to
meet
the
demands
of
many
stakeholders,
especially
pediatric
population
with
neurological
disorders.
Our
objective
is
develop
first
comfortable
and
unobtrusive
powered
AFO
children
cerebral
palsy
(CP),
DE-AFO.
CP
most
diagnosed
neuromotor
disorder
in
population.
The
standard
care
control
dysfunction
associated
CP,
however,
an
unmechanized,
bulky,
uncomfortable
L-shaped
conventional
AFO.
These
constrain
ankle’s
motion
often
cause
muscle
disuse
atrophy,
skin
damage,
adverse
neural
adaptations.
While
could
enhance
natural
motion,
their
reliance
on
noisy,
rigid
actuators
like
DC
motors
limits
acceptability.
innovation,
DE-AFO,
emerged
from
insights
gathered
during
customer
discovery
interviews
185
stakeholders
within
ecosystem
as
part
NSF
I-Corps
program.
DE-AFO
a
biomimetic
robot
that
employs
artificial
muscles
made
electro-active
polymer
called
dielectric
elastomers
(DEs)
assist
movements
sagittal
planes.
It
incorporates
gait
phase
detection
controller
synchronize
cycles,
mimicking
function
muscles.
This
device
its
kind
utilize
lightweight,
compact,
soft,
silent
contract
longitudinally,
addressing
traditional
actuated
AFOs’
limitations
by
enhancing
orthosis’s
feel,
comfort,
In
this
paper,
we
outline
our
design
approach
describe
three
main
components
DE-AFO:
technology,
finite
state
machine
(the
system),
mechanical
structure.
To
verify
feasibility
design,
theoretically
calculated
if
can
provide
necessary
moment
assistance
CP—aligning
moments
observed
typically
developing
children.
end,
deficit
child
when
compared
normative
seven
results
demonstrated
meaningful
assistance,
providing
up
69%
100%
required
assistive
force
pre-swing
swing
period
gait,
respectively.
Advanced Functional Materials,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Jan. 13, 2025
Abstract
High‐performance,
large‐size
artificial
muscles
are
in
great
demand
the
field
of
robotics.
This
work
reports
a
comprehensive
approach
for
fabricating,
actuating,
sensing,
and
controlling
180
mm‐long
fibrous
dielectric
elastomer
(DE)
muscle.
The
fabrication
process
introduces
novel
method
patterning
large‐area,
uniform
electrodes
using
vacuum
filtration
followed
by
mask‐free
stamping
on
DE
substrates.
To
address
challenge
long
charging
times
that
impair
dynamic
performance,
an
amplitude
modulation
algorithm
is
developed
high‐frequency
actuation,
which
increased
generated
strain
64%
at
resonant
frequency
10
Hz.
Additionally,
hollow
space
within
rolled
muscle
used
to
integrate
waveguide
serves
as
sensor.
combined
actuation‐sensing
structure
maintains
flexibility
actuation
capabilities
while
enabling
self‐sensing
feedback
control.
versatility
further
demonstrated
segmenting
single
into
three
shorter
units
employing
these
construct
two
multi‐actuator
machines:
tensegrity‐based
gimbal
rotary
engine.
advances
large‐scale
production
application
muscles.
Soft Robotics,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Feb. 10, 2025
Hydraulically
amplified
self-healing
electrostatic
(HASEL)
actuators
are
known
for
their
muscle-like
activation,
rapid
operation,
and
direct
electrical
control,
making
them
highly
versatile
use
in
soft
robotics.
While
current
methods
enhancing
HASEL
actuator
performance
largely
emphasize
material
innovation,
our
approach
offers
an
additional
architectural
strategy.
In
this
study,
we
introduce
a
novel
hydraulically
rigidity-adaptive
(HARIE)
designed
to
significantly
enhance
while
maintaining
controllability
by
elucidating
the
underlying
issues
of
pull-in
instability.
Our
experimental
results
indicate
that
HARIE
achieves
significant
improvement,
with
over
200%
increase
angular
output
consistently
strong
torque
compared
flexible
electrodes.
Notably,
maximum
step
is
21.8°/kV,
approximately
one
third
rigid
electrodes
(62.3°/kV),
suggesting
smoother
motion
control.
The
actuator's
effectiveness
further
demonstrated
practical
applications;
it
successfully
grasps
orange
weighing
15.2
g
delicate
dandelion.
Additionally,
precise
targeting
capability
evidenced
its
ability
manipulate
laser
induce
heat
accumulation,
leading
balloon's
breakdown,
thereby
showcasing
high
level
controllability.
method
mitigates
negative
impacts
suboptimal
materials
demonstrates
potential
enhancement
when
combined
superior
materials.
Soft
robotics,
a
research
field
wherein
robots
are
fabricated
from
compliant
materials,
has
sparked
widespread
interest
because
of
its
potential
applications
in
variety
scenarios.
In
soft
robots,
luminescence
is
an
important
functionality
for
communication
and
information
transmission,
it
typically
achieved
through
electroluminescence,
which
relies
on
synthetic
substances
activated
by
external
electric
sources,
such
as
batteries.
This
paper
focuses
the
use
luciferase,
biologically
derived
luminescent
enzyme,
material.
Bioluminescence,
triggered
luciferin–luciferase
reaction,
highly
energy-efficient,
nontoxic,
eco-friendly.
this
regard,
mammalian
cell-derived
secreted
luciferase
bioluminescent
liquid
was
developed.
strongly
bright,
stable,
freezable,
scalable
robotic
To
investigate
applicability
to
incorporated
electrode
electrically
driven
actuators,
sensors,
robots.
Specifically,
dielectric
elastomer
sensors
(DESs)
actuators
(DEAs)
were
characterized
using
established
fabrication
processes.
The
resistivity
found
be
448.1
Ω·cm.
When
DES
subjected
uniaxial
strain,
exhibited
linear
response
large
deformation
up
200%
with
simultaneous
luminance
change
27%.
DEA
displayed
areal
strain
46.0%
31%
at
applied
voltage
3.4
kV.
waterproof
bending
generated
tip
angle
21.8°
10
kV
jellyfish
robot
that
could
swim
water
speed
2.1
mm/s.
experimental
results
demonstrated
successful
operation
these
devices,
validating
concept
safe,
environmentally
friendly
Journal of Applied Physics,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
137(9)
Published: March 4, 2025
Resonant
actuation
of
the
dielectric
elastomer
resonators
(DERs)
allows
them
to
achieve
outstanding
output
performance
comparable
biological
muscles
and
facilitates
numerous
applications
DERs
in
robotics.
However,
electromechanical
coupling
mechanism
introduces
complicated
nonlinear
correlations
between
input
signals,
system
states,
excitation
forces
at
resonances,
which
are
overlooked
previous
studies.
In
this
paper,
we
adopt
a
conical
DER
(CDER)
configuration,
by
decomposing
term
dynamic
system,
reveal
that
resonances
excited
both
externally
parametrically
two
frequencies.
The
forcing
mechanisms
include
four
components:
external
components
with
frequencies
1:1
2:1
frequency
(fe_ext1
fe_ext2,
respectively)
parametric
(fe_par1
fe_par2,
respectively).
Using
an
energy
balance
approach,
theoretically
investigate
contributions
these
CDER.
We
show
primary
resonance
is
mainly
fe_ext1
super-harmonic
subharmonic
fe_par1.
strengths
strongly
influenced
out-of-plane
deformation
membrane
ratios
voltage
components.
Power
studies
suggest
heavily
affected
damping,
while
good
robustness
against
increasing
payload.
