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Fully 3D-Printed Miniature Soft Hydraulic Actuators with Shape Memory Effect for Morphing and Manipulation.
Haitao Qing1, Yinding Chi1, Yaoye Hong1
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|May 29, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed 3D-printed miniature soft actuators that can rapidly change shape and lock into new forms. These shape memory effect (SME) actuators offer programmable control for advanced soft robotics applications.
Area of Science:
- Soft robotics
- Materials science
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Miniature soft actuators are crucial for morphing matter and small-scale robotics.
- Achieving rapid, controlled shape morphing and locking remains a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report fully 3D-printed, sub-millimeter miniature soft hydraulic actuators with shape memory effect (SME).
- To enable programmable fast shape morphing and shape locking for advanced applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized commercial high-resolution multi-material 3D printing of shape memory polymers (SMPs) and soft elastomers.
- Integrated direct printing of microfluidic channels within elastomers in a single print run.
- Leveraged spatial patterning and expansion heterogeneity for hydraulically actuated shape morphing.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated versatile shape morphing (circular, wavy, helical, saddle, warping) with controlled curvatures.
- Achieved temporary shape locking and repeatable recovery to planar forms via SME activation.
- Showcased applications in non-invasive manipulation, multimodal grasping, and energy-saving manipulators.
Conclusions:
- Successfully developed miniature soft hydraulic actuators with programmable shape morphing and locking capabilities.
- The integrated 3D printing approach overcomes fabrication and reversibility limitations.
- These actuators show significant potential for diverse micro-robotics and manipulation tasks.
