Artificial muscle for soft robotics: Low voltage, high hopes

Phys.org:  Soft robots do a lot of things well but they're not exactly known for their speed. The artificial muscles that move soft robots, called actuators, tend to rely on hydraulics or pneumatics, which are slow to respond and difficult to store.

Dielectric elastomers, soft materials that have good insulating properties, could offer an alternative to pneumatic actuators but they currently require complex and inefficient circuitry to deliver high voltage as well as rigid components to maintain their form—both of which defeat the purpose of a soft robot.

Now, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a dielectric elastomer with a broad range of motion that requires relatively low voltage and no rigid components. They published their work recently in Advanced Materials.  Cont'd...

Comments (0)

This post does not have any comments. Be the first to leave a comment below.


Post A Comment

You must be logged in before you can post a comment. Login now.

Featured Product

OnLogic’s Helix 520 Series of Scalable Fanless Computers

OnLogic's Helix 520 Series of Scalable Fanless Computers

The Helix 520 series utilizes the latest Intel Core Ultra processors with integrated edge AI capabilities to deliver exceptional performance and industrial-grade reliability for demanding applications in automation, robotics, machine vision, and more. Its unique modular design allows for flexible scaling of CPU and GPU performance, while robust connectivity and expansion options ensure seamless integration.