SMA-based soft actuators with electrically responsive and photoresponsive deformations applied in soft robots

As a heat-triggered smart material, shape memory alloy (SMA) has been widely used in soft actuators and bioinspired robots. Coupled SMA wires are commonly chosen to achieve reversible actuation, while segment assembling methods the main solutions for complicated bending modes. To address this, dual-stimulus responsive SMA/PDMS were proposed this research. exerted by electrical current, showed process, which was beneficial elastic energy storage release effect of PDMS elastomers wrapped around one-way wires. The optimization current intensity thickness could be control amplitude, response time, deformation recovery. This provided actuation manner with only single instead coupled wire arrangements. In addition, photomechanical observed as SMA/PDMA stimulated near-infrared (nIR) light, attributed localized photothermal nIR light illumination. Localized continuous deformations obtained that dependent on width. demonstrated ease stimulus utilized assembling. Two kinds actuator-based grippers grasp different shaped objects. Grasping actions achieved electrically actuated conditions, conformal grasping functions source illuminated. Our show potential applications hands expand robots application areas.