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Electrically controlled liquid crystal elastomer-based soft tubular actuator with multimodal actuation.
Qiguang He1, Zhijian Wang1, Yang Wang2
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
Science Advances
|October 25, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed novel soft tubular actuators using liquid crystal elastomers, offering programmable strain for versatile applications. These artificial muscles enable multidirectional bending and large contractions, leading to advanced soft grippers and robots.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Materials Science
- Soft Matter Physics
Background:
- Soft tubular actuators are prevalent in nature and engineering, offering advantages like multiple actuation modes and large internal space.
- Existing soft tubular actuators often rely on pneumatics, hydraulics, or tendons, which can involve complex fabrication, integration, and strain issues.
- Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) present a promising artificial muscle material due to their programmable strain capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and construct soft tubular actuators utilizing liquid crystal elastomers.
- To demonstrate the programmable strain and actuation capabilities of LCE-based soft tubular actuators.
- To showcase the application of these novel actuators in creating a multifunctional soft gripper and an untethered soft robot.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of soft tubular actuators from planar sheets of liquid crystal elastomer.
- Application of external electrical potential to control the actuation of the LCE tubular actuators.
- Integration of multiple tubular actuators to construct a soft gripper and a soft robot.
Main Results:
- The developed soft tubular actuators exhibit programmable strain control via electrical potential.
- Actuators demonstrated multidirectional bending and large (~40%) homogeneous contraction.
- A multifunctional soft gripper and an untethered soft robot were successfully built using these actuators.
Conclusions:
- Liquid crystal elastomers offer a versatile platform for creating advanced soft tubular actuators with controlled actuation.
- The developed LCE-based actuators overcome limitations of traditional soft actuator designs.
- This work paves the way for new possibilities in soft robotics and artificial muscle applications.
