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Research Group of Laboratory for Materials and Engineering Gabor Kovacs, Silvain Michel, Christian Drager, Urs Hintermller, Alfred Schmidlin, Michael Wissler, Patrick Lochmatter and Rui Zhang Main Project Partners ETH Zurich, Institute of Mechanical Systems (IMES): Centre of Mechanics and Centre of Structure Technologies ETH Zurich, Institute of Machine Tools and Manufacturing EMPA, Laboratory for Functional Polymers Swiss National Science Foundation: National Centre of Competence in Research CO-ME
Arm wrestling competition: EAP-activated robot versus human at the SPIE Symposium in March, 2005.
d Q=0 U Co Ao do U C -Q +Q A
A dielectric EAP actuator is basically a compliant capacitor, where a thin elastomer film is sandwiched between two compliant electrodes. When a high DC voltage (kV) is applied to the electrodes, the arising electrostatic pressure squeezes the elastomer film in thickness and thus the film expands in planar directions. When the voltage is switched off, the elastic film returns to its original shape.
10 mm
Contact:
Gabor Kovacs
Silvain Michel
Laboratory for Materials and Engineering, CH-8600 Dubendorf, Switzerland Zurich, Center of Mechanics, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Goal
The goal is to model the electromechanical behavior of dielectric elastomer actuators in agreement with experiments. The models will allow simulating the behavior of geometrically complex actuators, to optimize the design and to ensure their reliability. New materials may be synthesized based on results generated with this model.
Research Approach
Mechanical behavior: Characterization and modeling of the passive mechanical properties of the film (constitutive equations) Characterization of the electrical properties of the film Electromechanical coupling: Experimental and numerical investigation of planar actuators Analyzing geometrical complex actuators (spring roll actuators)
Voltage on
Voltage off
Voltage on
Voltage off
Time [s]
Figure 3: Comparison between experiments and simulations.
References
[1] [2] [3] [4] M. Wissler, E. Mazza, Modeling of a pre-strained circular actuator made of dielectric elastomer actuators, Sensors and Actuators A, vol. 120, pp. 184 192, 2005 M. Wissler, E. Mazza, Modeling and simulation of dielectric elastomer actuators, Smart Materials and Structures, vol. 14, pp. 1396 1402, 2005. M. Wissler et al, Circular pre-strained dielectric elastomer actuator: modeling, simulation and experimental verification, Proc. SPIE, vol. 5759, pp. 182 193, 2005. M. Wissler, E. Mazza, Modeling and Finite Element Simulation of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators, NAFEM Seminar, 2005, Wiesbaden, Germany.
michael.wissler@empa.ch
Spring Roll Dielectric Elastomer Actuators for a Portable Force Feedback Device
Rui Zhang1, Dr. Gabor Kovacs1, Dr. Andreas Kunz2, Prof. Dr. Konrad Wegener2
1 Empa, 2 ETH
Laboratory for Materials and Engineering, CH-8600 Dubendorf, Switzerland Zurich, Institute of Machine Tools and Manufacturing, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Goal
The aim of this project is to develop a force feedback device, which provides satisfying touch sensations to the operator, moreover, which is portable, powerful, lightweight, and nonobstructive. The focus is mainly on the development of dielectric elastomer (DE) actuators and further, on their implementation into a force feedback interface.
3D simulation and collision detection 3D Graphics Visual feedback
Actuator controlling
Force feedback
Fig. 1 Schematic of a force feedback interface. Red rectangular area includes the focus of this thesis.
To generate a resultant force on the fingertips, the actuators can be either located on the dorsal side, in the palm, between or around the fingers. Our evaluation of 22 concepts showed that actuator between the fingers is the most promising concept since it has a compact and effective design, a realistic force distribution, which is normal to the fingertips, and no unnecessary counter forces acting on the hand.
Fdevice
Fig. 2 Arts of the actuator attachment on the hand are divided into four categories.
Fig. 3 The envisioned device approach is to attach DE actuators between the fingers.
Working direction
Cast-end
Telescopic guidance
Fig. 4 Construction of the spring roll push-pull actuator. Experiments Isometric tests were carried out to characterize the actuator force-displacement behavior under activation. The actuator executed a maximum blocking force of 7.2 N and a maximum elongation of 5 mm under a driving voltage of 3.5 kV. Due to the high driving voltage, electrical safety issues have been studied in order to provide sufficient safety to human operators. To demonstrate the proposed application, the actuator was finally implemented into a force feedback interface as described in figure 1. Fig. 6 Specification of the spring roll pull-push DE actuator.
Value VHB 4910 (3M) =12 mm, L=45 mm about 60 8g 1 hour 16 1840 mm
3 4 5 6 Displacement [mm]
Laboratory for Materials and Engineering, CH-8600 Dubendorf, Switzerland Zurich, Centre of Structure Technologies, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Goal
Control and Energy Supply The goal of this PhD thesis is to build a shelllike actuator based on dielectric elastomers (DE), which is capable to perform complex out-of-plane deformations. The aimed shapes of the actuator should be maintained by a control system even when external loads act upon its surface. F(x,t) 30 cm
off on 30 cm Shell-like Actuator Figure 1: The deactivated shell-like actuator (left) takes a specific shape when activated (right).
Potential Applications
Ropeway Gondolas Shell-like actuators may be used as adaptive elements to generate a specific interaction between the structure and the environment, e.g. for drag / oscillation-reduction of fluid-exposed structures (left), propulsion of vehicles through fluids (center), continuous adjustment of surfaces (right). Active Blimp Aerospace
Propulsion
Results
Modeling A novel model for the visco-hyperelastic behavior of the acrylic film VHB 4910 (3M) was developed. Therewith, the performance (energy density, efficiency) of selected planar DE actuator configurations was estimated. DE Actuator (Capacitor) Voltage Source Overall Resistance
Lx ( t )
V
z ( t ) = pel ( t )
p (t )
y (t )
Lz ( t ) Ly ( t )
x (t )
Figure 3: DE actuator in an electrical circuit (left) and viscoelastic film model (right).
4 kV Experimental Inspired by the biological agonist-antagonist principle of operation uni- and biaxial bending actuators based on dielectric elastomers were manufactured and will be characterized.
4 kV
4 kV Figure 4: Uni- (left) and biaxial (right) bending actuator based on dielectric elastomers.
4 kV
References
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] P. Lochmatter, and G. Kovacs, Concepts for the reduction of the wind-induced oscillation of continuous aerial ropeway gondolas, submitted to Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics. P. Lochmatter, S. Michel, and G. Kovacs, in Smart Structures and Materials 2006: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD), 2006, San Diego, USA. P. Lochmatter, G. Kovacs, and S. Michel, Characterization of DE actuators based on an elastic film model, submitted to Sensors and Actuators A. P. Lochmatter, G. Kovacs, and M. Wissler, Characterization of DE actuators based on a viscoelastic film model, submitted to Smart Materials and Structures. Swiss Patent No. 6602005, S. Michel, G. Kovacs, and P. Lochmatter, Antrieb fr einen Leichter-als-Luft-Flugapparat.