Soft pneumatic actuators with a channel network (pneu-net) based on thermoplastic elastomers are compatible fused deposition modeling (FDM). However, conventional filament-based (FDM) printers not well suited for shore hardness (Sh < 70A). Therefore, in this study, pellet-based FDM printer was used to print of Sh18A. Additionally, the method allowed situ integration soft piezoresistive sensi...

Osmotic actuation is a ubiquitous plant-inspired actuation strategy that has a very low power consumption but is capable of generating effective movements in a wide variety of environmental conditions. In light of these features, we aimed to develop a novel, low-power-consumption actuator that is capable of generating suitable forces during a characteristic actuation time on the order of a few ...

We have developed an interactive computer-aided design program that supports the mechanical design of devices fabricated in surface micro-machining processes. The program automates kinematic analysis via a novel configuration space computation code, performs real-time simulation and kinematic tolerance analysis, and supports kinematic synthesis. Designers can visualize system function under a r...

This paper compares the design and performance of kink actuators, a modified version of the bent-beam thermal actuator, to the standard chevron-shaped designs. A variety of kink and chevron actuator designs were fabricated from polysilicon. While the actuators were electrically probed, these designs were tested using a probe station connected to a National Instruments (NI) controller that uses ...

This paper presents an innovative tuning fork-shaped ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuator. With an integrated soft strain gauge and water supply mechanism (WSM), the surface strain of the actuator can be sensed in situ, and providing a continuous water supply maintains the water content inside the IPMC for long-term operation in air. The actuator was fabricated using a micromachining t...

The field of biomimetics seeks to distill biological principles from nature and implement them in engineering systems in an effort to improve various performance metrics. In this paper, a biology-based approach is used to address the problem of radiated propulsor noise in underwater vehicles using active control. This approach is one of "tail articulation" of a stator blade, which is carried ou...

This paper presents the fabrication and the testing of piezoelectric unimorph actuators with embedded piezoelectric sensors which are meant to be used for the actuation of the Micromechanical Flying Insect (MFI). First the fabrication process of a piezoelectric bending actuator comprising a standard unimorph and a rigid extension is described together with the advantages of adding such an exten...

This paper presents an innovative 3D piezoelectric ultrasonic actuator using a single flexural vibration ring transducer, for machine vision and robot guidance industrial applications. The proposed actuator is principally aiming to overcome the visual spotlight focus angle of digital visual data capture transducer, digital cameras and enhance the machine vision system ability to perceive and mo...

Smart actuators have many potential applications in various areas, so the development of novel actuation materials, with facile fabricating methods and excellent performances, are still urgent needs. In this work, a novel electromechanical bimorph actuator constituted by a graphene layer and a PVDF layer, is fabricated through a simple yet versatile solution approach. The bimorph actuator can d...

A ceramic–ceramic actuator composed of two piezoelectric ceramic layers with opposite poling directions was developed. One layer of the actuator had a high coercive electric field (PZT (Pb(Zr,Ti)O3)-I; Ec5 1.1 kV/mm), while the other had a relatively low coercive electric field (PZT-II; Ec5 0.6 kV/mm). The actuator was fabricated by cofiring a green compact composed of the PZT-I powder on top o...