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Artificial muscles based on dielectric elastomer polymer materials are attractive for a wide range of applications due to their large active strains and self-sensing ability.
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Background: Artificial muscles based on dielectric elastomer polymer materials are attractive for a wide range of applications due to their large active strains, self-sensing ability, flexibility and softness, low weight and volume, tolerance of harsh environments and other factors. The Challenge: Some of the most exciting possibilities for dielectric elastomer artificial muscles consist of biologically inspired networks of smart actuators coordinated in a goal-seeking fashion to perform required functions. However, the creation of these networks can only be realised once intelligence and feedback is distributed throughout an artificial muscle device. Researchers at the Biomimetics Laboratory at the University of Auckland have shown that dielectric elastomer artificial muscles can be built with intrinsic sensor, control, and driver circuitry, bringing them closer in capability to their natural analogues. These proprietary and patented methods exploit the piezoresistive behaviour of a dielectric elastomer device’s compliant electrodes by using their unique dielectric elastomer switch technology. Key aspects of the technology: The researchers developed suitable switching material to demonstrate the key aspects of self-sensing actuators and digital computation, namely compliant electromechanical logic gates and oscillator circuits.