Related papers: Hydraulically Amplified Self-Healing ELectrostatic…
The need for compliant and proprioceptive actuators has grown more evident in pursuing more adaptable and versatile robotic systems. Hydraulically Amplified Self-Healing Electrostatic (HASEL) actuators offer distinctive advantages with…
Robotic manipulation in unstructured environments requires end-effectors that combine high kinematic dexterity with physical compliance. While traditional rigid hands rely on complex external sensors for safe interaction, electrohydraulic…
We present Haptic Light-Emitting Diodes (HLEDs), luminous thermopneumatic actuators that directly convert pulsed light into mechanical forces and displacements. Each device packages a miniature surface-mount LED in a gas-filled cavity that…
This work presents a new fiberless soft pneumatic actuator that can work multifunctional and bidirectional, and its embedded sensors give it a self-proprioception ability. This actuator works based on the idea of employing helical pressure…
We firstly demonstrate physically-prepared compliant PVA hydrogel electrodes as a promising supplement in dielectric elastomer actuators. They are capable of conducting high voltages over 5 kV without electrolysis by an electrical double…
Inspired by the cellular design of plant tissue, we present a new approach to make versatile, tough, highly water-swelling composites. We embed highly swelling hydrogel particles inside tough, water-permeable, elastomeric matrices. The…
This paper presents design, fabrication and control of a compliant 2D manipulator, a so called soft actuator. Our focus is on fiber-reinforced elastomer actuators driven by a constant pressure hydraulic supply and modulated on/off valves.…
Soft robotics is a field of robotic system design characterized by materials and structures that exhibit large-scale deformation, high compliance, and rich multifunctionality. The incorporation of soft and deformable structures endows soft…
Implantable hydrogels should ideally possess mechanical properties matched to the surrounding tissues to enable adequate mechanical function while regeneration occurs. This can be challenging, especially when degradable systems with high…
In the quest for electrically-driven soft actuators, the focus has shifted away from liquid-gas phase transition, commonly associated with reduced strain rates and actuation delays, in favour of electrostatic and other electrothermal…
Two types of high-strength composite hydrogels possessing the structure of interpenetrating polymer networks were synthesized via free-radical polymerization of acrylamide carried out straight within the matrix of plant or bacterial…
We describe a fluidic actuator design that replaces the sealed chamber of a hydraulic cylinder using a soft actuator to provide compliant linear compression with a large force ($\geq$100 N) at a low operation pressure ($\leq$50 kPa) for a…
Soft robotic actuators are safe and adaptable devices with inherent compliance, which makes them attractive for manipulating delicate and complex objects. Researchers have integrated stiff materials into soft actuators to increase their…
Aging populations and the rising prevalence of neurological and musculoskeletal disorders increase the demand for wearable mobility assistive devices that are effective, comfortable, and anatomically compatible. Many existing systems use…
Electrowetting is a commonly used tool to manipulate sessile drops on hydrophobic surfaces. By applying an external voltage over a liquid and a dielectric-coated surface, one achieves a reduction of the macroscopic contact angles for…
Robotic systems driven by conventional motors often suffer from challenges such as large mass, complex control algorithms, and the need for additional braking mechanisms, which limit their applications in lightweight and compact robotic…
Here, we report poly(N-acryloylglycinamide-co-vinyltriazole) p(NAGA-co-VTZ) supramolecular polymer hydrogel doped with activated polypyrrole nanotubes (acPPyNTs) as a high-strength self-healable material for supercapacitors. First, the…
Electroactive soft elastomers require huge electric field for a meaningful actuation. We demonstrate that this can be dramatically reduced and giant deformations can be produced by application of suitably chosen heterogeneous actuators. The…
Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators generate an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) force through the ionization and acceleration of charged species. Most active flow control DBD applications are only practical at lower Reynolds…
Laser-assisted electron scattering (LAES), a light-matter interaction process that facilitates energy transfer between strong light fields and free electrons, has so far been observed only in gas phase. Here we report on the observation of…