A Simple Dynamic Characterization Method for Thin Stacked Dielectric Elastomer Actuators by Suspending a Weight in Air and Electrical Excitation

Takagi, Kentaro; Kitazaki, Yuya; Kondo, Kota

doi:10.3390/act10030040

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…To address this issue, it would be beneficial to conduct passive creep experiments as well. This could be done using calibration weights to apply a constant force similar to [61]. The most reliable set-up, of course, would be a test bench with force control.…”

Section: Fig 13 Validation Results Of Generalized Maxwell (Gm) Model ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Portable Real-Time Test Bench for Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

et al. 2023

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Recently, a significant amount of research has been devoted to soft robots. Artificial muscles belong to the most important components of soft robots. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) represent the technology that comes closest to the capabilities of a natural muscle, making them the best candidates for artificial muscles in robotics and prosthetics applications. To develop these applications, an analysis of DEAs in a test bench must be possible. It is important that the environmental conditions are known, and all components are specified, which is not the case in most publications. This paper focuses on the development of a real-time test bench for DEAs which provides environmental conditions and all components that are specified. Its goal is to open up the research field of dielectric elastomer actuators or soft robots. The stacked DEA used is powered by a high-voltage amplifier, which can be controlled via a real-time block diagram environment together with a data acquisition (DAQ) device. The response of the actuator is measured with a laser triangulation sensor. Furthermore, information about the applied voltage, the operating current, the temperature, and the humidity are collected. It was demonstrated that the selected laser sensor is a suitable device for this application. Moreover, it was shown that the selected high-voltage amplifier is adequate to power a DEA. However, the DAQ is not fast enough to measure the actuator current. It was demonstrated that housing keeps environmental conditions constant, is transportable, and offers the flexibility to investigate different DEAs.

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Section: Fig 13 Validation Results Of Generalized Maxwell (Gm) Model ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Portable Real-Time Test Bench for Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

et al. 2023

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show abstract

“…To address this issue, it would be beneficial to conduct passive creep experiments as well. This could be done using calibration weights to apply a constant force similar to [51]. The most reliable set-up, of course, would be a test bench with force control.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling and simulation of a commercially available dielectric elastomer actuator

Sohlbach,

Hobbani,

Blase

et al. 2024

Smart Mater. Struct.

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To fully harness the potential of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) in soft robots, advanced control methods are needed. An important groundwork for this is the development of a control-oriented model that can adequately describe the underlying dynamics of a DEA. Existing models commonly focus on custom-made DEAs, simplifying the modeling process due to well-known specifications and actuator structures. However, for commercial actuators, only information from the manufacturer is available, necessitating verification or completion during the modeling process. The aim of this paper is to explore how a commercial stacked silicone-based DEA can be modelled and how complex the model should be to properly replicate the features of the actuator. The static description has demonstrated the suitability of Hooke's law. In the case of dynamic description, it is shown that no viscoelastic model is needed for control-oriented modelling. However, if all features of the DEA are considered, the generalised Kelvin-Maxwell model with three Maxwell elements shows good results, stability and computational efficiency.

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“…The emergence of smart soft materials has allowed the flexible micro-drive structure to arbitrarily change its shape and size according to actual needs, as well as strong impact resistance and good environmental compatibility. Smart soft materials and structures play an important role in the design and practical application of flexible micro-drive structures, and their special drive mechanism greatly expands the functions of flexible micro-drive structures [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Soft Electro-Hydraulic Pneumatic Actuator with Self-Sensing Capability toward Multi-Modal Haptic Feedback

et al. 2022

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Haptic feedback is appealing for achieving the realistic perception of environmental changes for human bodies in human–computer interaction fields. However, existing haptic actuators have some hurdles such as single mode, poor compatibility, or incomplete tactile information. In this study, we proposed a novel way to generate haptic feedback by designing a soft electro-hydraulic pneumatic actuator (SEHPA) with dual drive modes. The SEHPA was structured with silicone films, a silicone air chamber, flexible electrodes, and an insulating liquid dielectric for good human–machine compatibility. The SEHPA had the advantages of high output force (1.5 N at 10 kPa) and displacement (4.5 mm at 5 kPa), as well as various haptic notifications (0~400 Hz vibration). The electro-hydraulic drive method realized smooth output force changes at the millinewton level (0~40 mN) and output displacement changes at the micron level (0~800 μm), which further enriched the details of the tactile experience. In addition, the self-sensing capability of the SEHPA can be dedicated to monitoring and ensuring precise output. The SEHPAs can be potentially mounted on the fingertips to provide accurate tactile sensation once the manipulator touches an object through teleoperation. More invisible information can also be obtained by customizing various haptic notifications. The excellent response behavior and accurate tactile haptic feedback demonstrate the candidate for teleoperation fields.

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A Simple Dynamic Characterization Method for Thin Stacked Dielectric Elastomer Actuators by Suspending a Weight in Air and Electrical Excitation

Cited by 6 publications

References 44 publications

A Portable Real-Time Test Bench for Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

A Portable Real-Time Test Bench for Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

Modelling and simulation of a commercially available dielectric elastomer actuator

A Soft Electro-Hydraulic Pneumatic Actuator with Self-Sensing Capability toward Multi-Modal Haptic Feedback

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