Abstract
The cutting-edge robotic technology can deal with a lot of complex tasks. However, one of the most challenging technological obstacles in robotics is the development of soft actuators. Remaining challenges in the field of drive technology can be overcome with innovative actuator concepts, for example dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs). DEAs show numerous advantages in comparison to prevailing robotic actuators that are based on geared servomotors: They are formflexible, inherently compliant, can store and recuperate kinetic energy, feature high power-to-weight ratio and high energy density that is comparable to human skeletal muscles, and finally can be designed to perform natural motion patterns other than rotation. In this article, after a review on disadvantages of state-of-art robotic drives, which are stimulus for a research on the promising drive solution, benefits of DEAs will be presented with regard to the possibility of applications in soft robotics. Finally, the article will conclude with a brief report on the ongoing research effort at the Institute for Factory Automation and Production Systems (FAPS) with two major foci – the development of an automated manufacturing process for stacked DEAs and a lightweight control hardware.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Franke J (2014) Artificial muscles, made of dielectric elastomer actuators: A promising solution for inherently compliant future robots. 1st International Symposium on Soft Ro-botics in Germany. Fraunhofer IPA Symposium F291
Seok S, Wang A, Otten D, Kim S (2012) Actuator design for high force proprioceptive control in fast legged locomotion. 2012 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. doi:10.1109/IROS.2012.6386252
Caldwell DG, Medrano-Cerda GA, Goodwin M (1995) Control of pneumatic muscle ac-tuators. IEEE Control Systems Magazine 15:40–48
Raibert M, Blankespoor K, Nelson G, Playter R (2008) BigDog, the rough terrain quad-ruped robot. Proceedings of the 17th World Congress of the International Federation of Automatic Control. doi:10.3182/20080706-5-KR-1001.01833
Brochu P, Pei Q (2010) Advances in dielectric elastomers for actuators and artificial muscles. Macromolecular Rapid Communications 31(1):10–36
Kornbluh RD, Pelrine R, Pei Q, Oh S, Joseph J, Bar-Cohen Y (2000) Ultrahigh strain re-sponse of field-actuated elastomeric polymers. Proc. SPIE 3987, Smart Structures and Materials 2000: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD). doi:10.1117/12.387763
Pelrine R, Kornbluh R, Joseph J, Heydt R, Pei Q, Chiba S (2000) High-field deformation of elastomeric dielectrics for actuators. Materials Science and Engineering C 11(2):89–100
Bauer S, Bauer-Gogonea S, Graz I, Kaltenbrunner M, Keplinger C, Schwödiauer R (2013) 25th anniversary article: A soft future: From robots and sensor skin to energy har-vesters. Adv Mater 2013:1–13. doi:10.1002/adma.201303349
Kim S, Laschi C, Trimmer B (2013) Soft robotics: a bioinspired evolution in robotics. Trends in Biotechnology 31(5):287–294
Carpi F, Bauer S, De Rossi D (2010) Stretching dielectric elastomer performance. Sci-ence 330(6012):1759–1761
Goth C, Putzo S, Franke J (2011) Aerosol Jet printing on rapid prototyping materials for fine pitch electronic applications. 61st Electronic Components and Technology Confer-ence (ECTC). doi:10.1109/ECTC.2011.5898664
Landgraf M, Reitelshöfer S, Franke J, Hedges M (2013) Aerosol Jet printing and light-weight power electronics for dielectric elastomer actuator. 3rd International Electric Drives Production Conference (EDPC). doi:10.1109/EDPC.2013.6689733
Gisby TA, Calius EP, Xie S, Anderson IA (2008) An adaptive control method for dielec-tric elastomer devices. Proceedings of SPIE 6927, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD). doi:10.1117/12.776503
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Yoo, I., Reitelshöfer, S., Landgraf, M., Franke, J. (2015). Artificial Muscles, Made of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators - A Promising Solution for Inherently Compliant Future Robots. In: Verl, A., Albu-Schäffer, A., Brock, O., Raatz, A. (eds) Soft Robotics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44506-8_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44506-8_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-662-44505-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-44506-8
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)