2-dimensional impact-damping electrostatic actuators with elastomer-enhanced auxetic structure
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Biomimetic robots yearn for compliant actuators that are comparable to biological muscle in both functions and structural properties. For that, electrostatic actuators have been developed to imitate bio-muscle in features of fast response, high power, energy-efficiency, etc. However, those actuators typically lack impact damping performance, making them vulnerable and unstable in real applications. Here, we present auxetic electrostatic actuators that address this issue and demonstrate muscle-like performance by using elastomer-enhanced auxetics and electrostatic zipping mechanism. The proposed actuators contract linearly on applied voltage, producing large actuation strength (15 N) and contraction ratio (59%). Fabricated from readily available materials, our prototypes can quickly attenuate vibrations caused by impacts and absorb shock energy in 0.3 s. Furthermore, leveraging their 2-dimensional working mode and self-locking mechanism, a stiffness-changing muscle for a robotic arm and an active tensegrity device exemplify the potential applications of auxetic electrostatic actuators to a wide range of bionic robots. Electrostatic actuators can imitate muscle features, but they are limited for real applications. Here, the authors show auxetic electrostatic actuators, using elastomer-enhanced auxetics and electrostatic zipping mechanism, that demonstrate muscle-like performance.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Xuechuan Wang, Yongyue Wang, Mingzhu Zhu, Xiaokui Yue
Institution: Northwestern Polytechnical University
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,790
OpenAlex ID: W4401885876