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Fabrication Process of Silicone-based Dielectric Elastomer Actuators
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Muscle-inspired soft robots based on bilateral dielectric elastomer actuators.

Yale Yang1,2, Dengfeng Li3, Yanhua Sun1,2

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, PR China.

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Researchers developed a novel bilateral actuator inspired by muscle groups for advanced soft robots. This artificial muscle enables versatile movements like crawling, rolling, and grasping, enhancing robot control and functionality.

Keywords:
Electrical and electronic engineeringElectronic properties and materials

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Area of Science:

  • Robotics
  • Materials Science
  • Biomimetics

Background:

  • Bilateral muscle actuation in biological systems inspires advanced robot design.
  • Soft robotic systems require artificial muscles for enhanced control and multi-dimensional movement.
  • Existing soft robots often lack the dexterity and versatility of biological muscle groups.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel bilateral actuator mimicking muscle group function for soft robots.
  • To create a versatile soft robot capable of diverse locomotion and manipulation tasks.
  • To explore the potential of combining multiple actuators for complex robotic behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized low-cost VHB 4910 dielectric elastomer as artificial muscle material.
  • Designed and fabricated polymer films as actuator frames for bilateral deformation.
  • Integrated end-to-end connected actuators to form a gear-shaped 3D soft robot.
  • Demonstrated various locomotion modes including crawling, rolling, and climbing.
  • Developed a mouth-like soft robot for object manipulation.

Main Results:

  • The bilateral actuator exhibited muscle-like deformation capabilities.
  • A gear-shaped soft robot achieved multi-directional crawling and efficient steering.
  • The robot demonstrated bidirectional rolling and 2° slope climbing capabilities.
  • A mouth-like soft robot successfully grasped objects 5.3 times its body weight.
  • Combined actuator modes enabled diverse functionalities and flexibility.

Conclusions:

  • The developed bilateral actuator offers a promising approach for creating highly controllable soft robots.
  • The modular design allows for adaptable configurations and diverse robotic applications.
  • This research provides a valuable reference for future soft robot design, emphasizing biomimicry and multi-functionality.