Dielectric Elastomer Artificial Muscle: Materials Innovations and Device Explorations

Characteristics of dielectric elastomers and fabrication of dielectric elastomer actuators for artificial muscle applications

Electroactive polymers have been studied for artificial muscle applications in last decades. One of the EAP materials, 3M VHB acrylic tapes, have shown been outstanding electromechanical coupling performance. The scope of this study is to understand the electromechanical properties of VHB acrylic material. In addition, the research explores new practical designs of soft actuators. The basic des...

Cerebellar-inspired algorithm for adaptive control of nonlinear dielectric elastomer-based artificial muscle

Electroactive polymer actuators are important for soft robotics, but can be difficult to control because of compliance, creep and nonlinearities. Because biological control mechanisms have evolved to deal with such problems, we investigated whether a control scheme based on the cerebellum would be useful for controlling a nonlinear dielectric elastomer actuator, a class of artificial muscle. Th...

Dielectric Elastomer Actuators for A Portable Force Feedback Device

This paper focuses on the development of novel actuators for a portable force feedback glove for, but not limited to, the simulation of open surgeries. A conceptual design of a chain-like actuator based on electroactive polymers is introduced. One actuator element of this chain was built in order to explore and optimize the actuator manufacturing process. Actuators manufactured with this stable...

Dielectric Elastomers Conductive Elastomer Insulating Elastomer

Tailoring Artificial Dielectric Materials at Terahertz Frequencies

The Submillimeter Technology Laboratory(STL) at the University of Massachusetts Lowell has developed a methodology of tailoring the complex refractive index for artificial dielectrics at terahertz frequencies. A wide range of precisely controlled optical properties have been achieved for materials such as vinyl acetate, silicone, polyethylene and epoxy resin when combined with powdered loading ...