Exploring 6-Ply Twisted and Coiled Polymer Actuators With Active Cooling and Position Control

摘要

Abstract Twisted and coiled polymer (TCP) actuators have gained attention for their high load carrying capacities in small and confined spaces, such as robotic arms to actuate fingers or wearable orthotic devices. There are many types of TCP actuators and one of them is constructed using silver-coated nylon thread in-house using simple fabrication process. However, their slow actuation speed limited the practical applications in robotics. Fast contraction of TCPs can be achieved by actuating at higher voltage, but cooling methods for fast removal of heat from the actuator is needed to quickly return to its resting position. In this paper, we present the behavior of 6-ply TCP actuators with active cooling, establish a model of the system, and formulate a position control algorithm for achieving rapid and precise control of these actuators. The findings indicated that active cooling of TCP actuators can substantially enhance their actuation speed, rendering them more appropriate for practical robotic applications.