scholarly journals Dielectric Elastomer Based “Grippers” for Soft Robotics

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (43) ◽  
pp. 6814-6819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Shian ◽  
Katia Bertoldi ◽  
David R. Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Soft Robotics

Design of a Soft Multi-Degree of Freedom Tool Positioner With Variable Stiffness Integrating Molded Air Muscles Actuation, Granular Jamming and Dielectric Elastomer Sensing

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Bouliane-Blais ◽  
Jean-Sébastien Plante
Keyword(s):  
Variable Stiffness ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Degree Of Freedom ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Initial Stiffness ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Position Feedback ◽  
Constrained Environments ◽  
Air Muscle ◽  
Muscle Actuators

Soft technology is more and more present in robotics allowing safe interaction with humans, high dexterity in constrained environments, and safe manipulation of fragile or undefined objects. However, soft robotics is limited by a fundamental trade-off between available workspace and stiffness. Position feedback is also challenging as soft robots generally use deformable mechanisms instead of discrete joints. Here, the design of a soft four-degree-of-freedom tool positioner integrating a brake system and a soft sensor is proposed to address these issues. The design integrates molded air muscle actuators, granular jamming brakes, and Dielectric Elastomer Sensors (DES). The design is experimentally validated based on the requirements of a manipulator for liver cancer treatment, which is a representative application of soft robotics. The use of granular jamming mitigates the fundamental trade-off of soft robotics as it allows the manipulator to reach a large workspace (1500 cm3) while having the capacity to provide a high stiffness (up to19 times the initial stiffness). DES provides satisfactory position feedback, demonstrating a 0.69 mm accuracy that is lower than the 1 mm requirement. The proposed design using granular jamming and DES could greatly benefit human-safe and medical robotics.

scholarly journals Dielectric Elastomer Grippers

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 33-36
Author(s):  
Mills Patel ◽  
Rudrax Khamar ◽  
Akshat Shah ◽  
Tej shah ◽  
Bhavik Soneji
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Power Generation ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Artificial Muscle ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Working Principle ◽  
Soft Actuators

This paper appraisals state-of-the-art dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) and their forthcoming standpoints as soft actuators which have freshly been considered as a crucial power generation module for soft robots. DEs behave as yielding capacitors, expanding in area and attenuation in thickness when a voltage is applied. The paper initiates with the explanation of working principle of dielectric elastomer grippers. Here the operation of DEAs include both physics and mechanical properties with its characteristics, we have describe methods for modelling and its introductory application. In inclusion, the artificial muscle based on DEA concept is also formally presented. This paper also elaborates DEAs popular application such as- Soft Robotics, Robotics grippers and artificial muscles.

scholarly journals Dielectric Elastomer Fiber Actuators with Aqueous Electrode

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 4310
Author(s):  
Keita Shimizu ◽  
Toshiaki Nagai ◽  
Jun Shintake
Keyword(s):  
Chloride Solution ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Driving Frequency ◽  
Silicone Tube ◽  
Linear Type ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Actuation Strain

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are one of the promising actuation technologies for soft robotics. This study proposes a fiber-shaped DEA, namely dielectric elastomer fiber actuators (DEFAs). The actuator consisted of a silicone tube filled with the aqueous electrode (sodium chloride solution). Furthermore, it could generate linear and bending actuation in a water environment, which acts as the ground side electrode. Linear-type DEFA and bending-type DEFA were fabricated and characterized to prove the concept. A mixture of Ecoflex 00–30 (Smooth-On) and Sylgard 184 (Dow Corning) was employed in these actuators for the tube part, which was 75.0-mm long with outer and inner diameters of 6.0 mm and 5.0 mm, respectively. An analytical model was constructed to design and predict the behavior of the devices. In the experiments, the linear-type DEFA exhibited an actuation strain and force of 1.3% and 42.4 mN, respectively, at 10 kV (~20 V/µm) with a response time of 0.2 s. The bending-type DEFA exhibited an actuation angle of 8.1° at 10 kV (~20 V/µm). Subsequently, a jellyfish-type robot was developed and tested, which showed the swimming speed of 3.1 mm/s at 10 kV and the driving frequency of 4 Hz. The results obtained in this study show the successful implementation of the actuator concept and demonstrate its applicability for soft robotics.

scholarly journals Soft Robotic Gripper Based on Multi-Layers of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 968-974
Author(s):  
Witchuda Thongking ◽  
Ardi Wiranata ◽  
Ayato Minaminosono ◽  
Zebing Mao ◽  
Shingo Maeda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Response Time ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Heel Strike ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Light Weight ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
The Relationship

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are a promising technology for soft robotics. The use of DEAs has many advantages, including light weight, resilience, and fast response for its applications, such as grippers, artificial muscles, and heel strike generators. Grippers are commonly used as grasping devices. In this study, we focus on DEA applications and propose a technology to expand the applicability of a soft gripper. The advantages of gripper-based DEAs include light weight, fast response, and low cost. We fabricated soft grippers using multiple DEA layers. The grippers successfully held or gripped an object, and we investigated the response time of the grippers and their angle characteristics. We studied the relationship between the number of DEA layers and the performance of our grippers. Our experimental results show that the multi-layered DEAs have the potential to be strong grippers.

scholarly journals Linear-Quadratic Regulator for Control of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotube/Polydimethylsiloxane Based Conical Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

Actuators ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Titus Mulembo ◽  
Waweru Njeri ◽  
Gakuji Nagai ◽  
Hirohisa Tamagawa ◽  
Keishi Naito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Rise Time ◽  
Electromechanical Coupling ◽  
Linear Quadratic Regulator ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Linear Quadratic ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

Conventional rigid actuators, such as DC servo motors, face challenges in utilizing them in artificial muscles and soft robotics. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) overcome all these limitations, as they exhibit complex and fast motions, quietness, lightness, and softness. Recently, there has been much focus on studies of the DEAs material’s non-linearity, the non-linear electromechanical coupling, and viscoelastic behavior of VHB and silicone-based conical DEAs having compliant electrodes that are based on graphite powder and carbon grease. However, the mitigation of overshoot that arises from fast response conical DEAs made with solid electrodes has not received much research focus. In this paper, we fabricated a conical configuration of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane (MWCNT/PDMS) based DEAs with a rise time of 10 ms, and 50% peak overshoot. We developed a full feedback state-based linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) having Luenberger observer to mitigate the DEAs overshoot in both the voltage ON and OFF instances. The cone DEA’s model was identified and a stable and well-fitting transfer function with a fit of 94% was obtained. Optimal parameters Q = 70,000, R = 0.1, and Q = 7000, R = 0.01 resulted in the DEA response having a rise time value of 20 ms with zero overshoot, in both simulations and experiments. The LQR approach can be useful for the control of fast response DEAs and this would expand the potential use of the DEAs as artificial muscles in soft robotics.

Anisotropic electroactive elastomer for highly maneuverable soft robotics

Nanoscale ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 7514-7521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youhua Xiao ◽  
Jie Mao ◽  
Yejie Shan ◽  
Tao Yang ◽  
Zheqi Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Triblock Copolymers ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Anisotropic Dielectric

Ultrathin anisotropic dielectric elastomer films of triblock copolymers were fabricated, enabling highly maneuverable soft crawlers actuated by sub-kV voltage.

scholarly journals Dielectric elastomer actuators based on stretchable and self-healable hydrogel electrodes

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 182145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Gao ◽  
Xiaoliang Fang ◽  
Danhquang Tran ◽  
Kuan Ju ◽  
Bo Qian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Self Healing ◽  
High Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Relative Resistance ◽  
Resistance Change ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer Actuators ◽  
Compliant Electrodes ◽  
Pva Hydrogel

Dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) based on dielectric elastomer holds promising applications in soft robotics. Compliant electrodes with large stretchability and high electrical conductivity are the vital components for the DEAs. In this study, a type of DEA was developed using carbon nanotube/polyvinyl alcohol (CNT/PVA) hydrogel electrodes. The CNT/PVA hydrogel electrodes demonstrate a stretchability up to 200% with a small relative resistance change of approximately 1.2, and a self-healing capability. The areal strain of the DEA based on the CNT/PVA hydrogel electrodes is more than 40%, much higher than the ones based on pure PVA electrodes.

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