High-Speed, Helical and Self-Coiled Dielectric Polymer Actuator

Novel actuator materials are necessary to advance the field of soft robotics. However, since current solutions limited in terms strain, strain rate, or robustness, a new type was developed. In its basic configuration, this consisted four layers and self-coiled into helix after pre-stretching. The principle dielectric polymer actuator. Instead an elastomer, thin thermoplastic film, case polyethylene, used as typically low potential amplified more than 40 times by helical set-up. hot press, film joined together with carbon black employed electrodes highly elastic polyurethane film. Once stack laser cut strips, they were then stretched over polyethylene (PE) film’s limit elasticity released, thus forming helix. manufactured prototype showed maximum 2% while lifting six own weight at actuation frequencies 3 Hz, which is equivalent rate 12%/s. This shows great newly developed type. Nevertheless, materials, geometry well manufacturing process still subject optimization.