Electrostrictive polymer actuators and their control systems

Abstract

Electrostrictive polymers such as silicone, acrylic, and polyurethane can achieve large strain and stress with high electric field. This property can make electrostrictive polymers useful actuators. While there are some limitations in reducing existing actuators, there are few in electrostrictive polymer actuators. Therefore, an electrostrictive polymer can be used to design an actuator of a micro robot system. In this paper, an actuator system, which consists of an electrostrictive polymer actuator and its controller, is designed and is implemented. Major characteristics about this actuator system are measured and are discussed. Also the performance of this actuator system under a control technique is measured.