Soft Actuator Based on metal/hydrogel Nanocomposites with Anisotropic Structure

2021 ◽  
pp. 2100117
Author(s):  
Yang Gao ◽  
Xueqi Zhao ◽  
Xiuyuan Han ◽  
Peiyao Wang ◽  
Wen Jiang Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Anisotropic Structure ◽  
Soft Actuator ◽  
Hydrogel Nanocomposites

Performance study of RTV-2 Silicone Rubber Material For Soft Actuator by Experimental and Numerical methods: The Effect of Inflation Pressure and Wall Thickness

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 7524-7532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak D. ◽  
Nitesh Kumar ◽  
Shreyas P. Shetty ◽  
Saurabh Jain ◽  
Manoj Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Methods ◽  
Wall Thickness ◽  
Silicone Rubber ◽  
Inflation Pressure ◽  
Performance Study ◽  
Rubber Material ◽  
Soft Actuator ◽  
Alternative Materials ◽  
Load Carrying ◽  
Influential Parameters

The expensive nature of currently used materials in the soft robotic industry demands the consideration of alternative materials for fabrication. This work investigates the performance of RTV-2 grade silicone rubber for fabrication of a soft actuator. Initially, a cylindrical actuator is fabricated using this material and its performance is experimentally assessed for different pressures. Further, parametric variations of the effect of wall thickness and inflation pressure are studied by numerical methods. Results show that, both wall thickness and inflation pressure are influential parameters which affect the elongation behaviour of the actuator. Thin (1.5 mm) sectioned actuators produced 76.97% more elongation compared to thick sectioned, but the stress induced is 89.61 % higher. Whereas, the thick sectioned actuator (6 mm) showed a higher load transmitting capability. With change in wall thickness from 1.5 mm to 6 mm, the elongation is reduced by 76.97 %, 38.35 %, 21.05 % and 11.43 % at pressure 100 kPa, 75 kPa, 50 kPa and 25 kPa respectively. The induced stress is also found reduced by 89.61 %, 86.66 %, 84.46 % and 68.68 % at these pressures. The average load carrying capacity of the actuator is found to be directly proportional to its wall thickness and inflation pressure.

Actuation and dynamic mechanical characteristics of a core free flat dielectric electro-active polymer soft actuator

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 7396-7404
Author(s):  
Abdul Malek Abdul Wahab ◽  
Emiliano Rustighi ◽  
Zainudin A.
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Resonance Frequency ◽  
Dynamic Testing ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Percentage Error ◽  
Initial Tension ◽  
Average Percentage ◽  
Soft Actuator ◽  
Average Percentage Error ◽  
Mechanical Dynamics

Various complex shapes of dielectric electro-active polymer (DEAP) actuator have been promoted for several types of applications. In this study, the actuation and mechanical dynamics characteristics of a new core free flat DEAP soft actuator were investigated. This actuator was developed by Danfoss PolyPower. DC voltage of up to 2000 V was supplied for identifying the actuation characteristics of the actuator and compare with the existing formula. The operational frequency of the actuator was determined by dynamic testing. Then, the soft actuator has been modelled as a uniform bar rigidly fixed at one end and attached to mass at another end. Results from the theoretical model were compared with the experimental results. It was found that the deformation of the current actuator was quadratic proportional to the voltage supplied. It was found that experimental results and theory were not in good agreement for low and high voltage with average percentage error are 104% and 20.7%, respectively. The resonance frequency of the actuator was near 14 Hz. Mass of load added, inhomogeneity and initial tension significantly affected the resonance frequency of the soft actuator. The experimental results were consistent with the theoretical model at zero load. However, due to inhomogeneity, the frequency response function’s plot underlines a poor prediction where the theoretical calculation was far from experimental results as values of load increasing with the average percentage error 15.7%. Hence, it shows the proposed analytical procedure not suitable to provide accurate natural frequency for the DEAP soft actuator.

Synthesis, characterization, and their some chemical and biological properties of PVA/PAA/nPS hydrogel nanocomposites: Hydrogel and wound dressing

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-215
Author(s):  
Mehmet Emin Diken ◽  
Berna Koçer Kizilduman ◽  
Begümhan Yilmaz Kardaş ◽  
Enes Emre Doğan ◽  
Mehmet Doğan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fourier Transform ◽  
Acrylic Acid ◽  
Infrared Spectra ◽  
Vinyl Alcohol ◽  
Fourier Transform Infrared ◽  
Poly Vinyl Alcohol ◽  
Seed Particles ◽  
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra ◽  
Hydrogel Nanocomposites ◽  
Poly Acrylic Acid

The nanocomposite hydrogels were prepared by dispersing of the nanopomegranate seed particles into poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) blend matrix in an aqueous medium by the solvent casting method. These hydrogels were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, and optical contact angle instruments. The nanopomegranate seed, blend, and hydrogel nanocomposites were tested for microbial activity. In addition, cytocompatibilities of these blend and hydrogel nanocomposites/composites were tested on human lymphocyte with in vitro MTS cell viability assays. Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed that esterification reaction took place among functional groups in the structure of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(acrylic acid). The hydrophilic properties of all hydrogels decreased with increasing nanopomegranate seed content. The mean diameters of the nanopomegranate seed particles were about 88 nm. Nanopomegranate seed particles demonstrated antibacterial properties against gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, and gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli. The lymphocyte viabilities increased after addition of nanopomegranate seeds into the polymer blend. The swelling behavior of blend and hydrogels was dependent on the cross-linking density created by the reaction between poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) blend and nanopomegranate seed. Scanning electron microscopy images were highly consistent with Fourier transform infrared spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, and antibacterial activity results.

scholarly journals High-cycle-life and high-loading copolymer network with potential application as a soft actuator

2019 ◽  
Vol 182 ◽  
pp. 108010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hafeez Ur Rehman ◽  
Yujie Chen ◽  
Mikael S. Hedenqvist ◽  
Radan Pathan ◽  
Hezhou Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Potential Application ◽  
Cycle Life ◽  
High Loading ◽  
Soft Actuator ◽  
Copolymer Network

scholarly journals Synthesis of modified chitosan TiO2 and SiO2 hydrogel nanocomposites for cadmium removal

2021 ◽  
pp. 101283
Author(s):  
Soudeh Banivaheb ◽  
Sasan Dan ◽  
Hassan Hashemipour ◽  
Maryam kalantari
Keyword(s):  
Cadmium Removal ◽  
Modified Chitosan ◽  
Hydrogel Nanocomposites

scholarly journals Sensuator: A Hybrid Sensor–Actuator Approach to Soft Robotic Proprioception Using Recurrent Neural Networks

Actuators ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Pornthep Preechayasomboon ◽  
Eric Rombokas
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Recurrent Neural Networks ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Open Loop ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
State Estimator ◽  
Loop Control ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Soft Actuator ◽  
The Cost

Soft robotic actuators are now being used in practical applications; however, they are often limited to open-loop control that relies on the inherent compliance of the actuator. Achieving human-like manipulation and grasping with soft robotic actuators requires at least some form of sensing, which often comes at the cost of complex fabrication and purposefully built sensor structures. In this paper, we utilize the actuating fluid itself as a sensing medium to achieve high-fidelity proprioception in a soft actuator. As our sensors are somewhat unstructured, their readings are difficult to interpret using linear models. We therefore present a proof of concept of a method for deriving the pose of the soft actuator using recurrent neural networks. We present the experimental setup and our learned state estimator to show that our method is viable for achieving proprioception and is also robust to common sensor failures.

Towards Ultrasonically Actuated Programmable Polymorphic Soft Actuator

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ju Hong Nam ◽  
Youngju Oh ◽  
Eunjeong Byun ◽  
Eunseo Joo ◽  
Soryeong Jeong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soft Actuator

scholarly journals Control of an IPMC Soft Actuator Using Adaptive Full-Order Recursive Terminal Sliding Mode

Actuators ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Romina Zarrabi Ekbatani ◽  
Ke Shao ◽  
Jasim Khawwaf ◽  
Hai Wang ◽  
Jinchuan Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sliding Mode ◽  
External Disturbance ◽  
Tracking Error ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Parametric Uncertainties ◽  
Metal Composite ◽  
External Disturbances ◽  
Terminal Sliding Mode ◽  
Positioning Accuracy ◽  
Soft Actuator

The ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuator is a kind of soft actuator that can work for underwater applications. However, IPMC actuator control suffers from high nonlinearity due to the existence of inherent creep and hysteresis phenomena. Furthermore, for underwater applications, they are highly exposed to parametric uncertainties and external disturbances due to the inherent characteristics and working environment. Those factors significantly affect the positioning accuracy and reliability of IPMC actuators. Hence, feedback control techniques are vital in the control of IPMC actuators for suppressing the system uncertainty and external disturbance. In this paper, for the first time an adaptive full-order recursive terminal sliding-mode (AFORTSM) controller is proposed for the IPMC actuator to enhance the positioning accuracy and robustness against parametric uncertainties and external disturbances. The proposed controller incorporates an adaptive algorithm with terminal sliding mode method to release the need for any prerequisite bound of the disturbance. In addition, stability analysis proves that it can guarantee the tracking error to converge to zero in finite time in the presence of uncertainty and disturbance. Experiments are carried out on the IPMC actuator to verify the practical effectiveness of the AFORTSM controller in comparison with a conventional nonsingular terminal sliding mode (NTSM) controller in terms of smaller tracking error and faster disturbance rejection.

scholarly journals Characterisation and Control of a Woven Biomimetic Actuator for Wearable Neurorehabilitative Devices

Actuators ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Vaughan Murphy ◽  
Brandon P. R. Edmonds ◽  
Ana Luisa Trejos
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Woven Fabric ◽  
Total Force ◽  
Control Methods ◽  
Soft Actuator ◽  
Sewing Thread ◽  
And Control ◽  
Fabric Mesh ◽  
Biomimetic Actuator ◽  
Multiple Units

Twisted coiled actuators (TCAs) are a type of soft actuator made from polymer fibres such as nylon sewing thread. As they provide motion in a compact, lightweight, and flexible package, they provide a solution to the actuation of wearable mechatronic devices for motion assistance. Their limitation is that they provide low total force, requiring them to actuate in parallel with multiple units. Previous literature has shown that the force and stroke production can be improved by incorporating them into fabric meshes. A fabric mesh could also improve the contraction efficiency, strain rate, and user comfort. Therefore, this study focused on measuring these performance metrics for a set of TCAs embedded into a woven fabric mesh. The experimental results show that the stroke of the actuators scaled linearly with the number of activated TCAs, achieving a maximum applied force of 11.28 N, a maximum stroke of 12.23%, and an efficiency of 1.8%. Additionally, two control methods were developed and evaluated, resulting in low overshoot and steady-state error. These results indicate that the designed actuators are viable for use in wearable mechatronic devices, since they can scale to meet different requirements, while being able to be accurately controlled with minimal additional components.

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