Actuator
Related papers: 20
About
An actuator is a device that converts energy—electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, or chemical—into mechanical motion, serving as the fundamental "muscle" of any robotic or autonomous system. In robotics and AI, actuators drive everything from rigid industrial manipulators and legged locomotion platforms to soft, compliant robots inspired by biological organisms. Traditional actuators include electric motors and hydraulic cylinders, while modern research has expanded into series elastic actuators that introduce intentional compliance for safer human-robot interaction, pneumatic artificial muscles like McKibben actuators, and soft actuators made from elastomers and smart materials driven by pressure, electroactive polymers, or magnetic fields. These technologies enable robots to grasp delicately, traverse complex terrain, assist human movement through exoskeletons and rehabilitative gloves, and even operate in extreme deep-sea environments. Actuator design directly determines a robot's strength, speed, energy efficiency, and safety profile, making it a central concern across virtually every robotics application. Advances in soft, stretchable, and self-healing actuator materials are increasingly blurring the boundary between machines and living tissue.
Top Researchers
Top Cited Papers
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