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Inflated Soft Actuators with Reversible Stable Deformations
Author(s) -
Hines Lindsey,
Petersen Kirstin,
Sitti Metin
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201600107
Subject(s) - materials science , hyperelastic material , actuator , elastomer , membrane , soft robotics , pneumatic actuator , dielectric elastomers , dielectric , deformation (meteorology) , composite material , shape memory alloy , mechanical engineering , structural engineering , optoelectronics , electrical engineering , engineering , finite element method , biology , genetics
Most soft robotic systems are currently dependent on bulky compressors or pumps. A soft actuation method is presented combining hyperelastic membranes and dielectric elastomer actuators to switch between stable deformations of sealed chambers. This method is capable of large repeatable deformations, and has a number of stable states proportional to the number of actuatable membranes in the chamber.