• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.108-116
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• 2019

Electro-active polymers and dielectric elastomers have many intriguing properties that enable smart interfaces and electrically tunable optical systems, such as haptic feedback devices, artificial muscles, and expansion-tunable optical elements. These device classes are of great interest owing to their promising roles in next-generation technologies including virtual or augmented reality, human sensing and muscular enhancement, and artificial skins. In this report, we review basic principles, current state-of-the-art techniques, and future prospects of electro-active and dielectric elastomer technology. We describe chemical and physical properties of the most promising polymer substances, essential elementary architectures for artificial muscle-like functionalities, and their applications to haptic interfaces, muscular enhancement, and focus-tunable optical elements.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.285-290
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• 2004

Electro-active polymer, one of smart materials, is a new alternative technology, which can get an ultra precision movements and bio-compatibilty. This paper presents the relationship between elastic modulus and maximum deflection as a key property of maxwell stress effects and also presents the relationship between dielectric constant and maximum deflection as a key property of electro-striction effects in disc-type actuators using segmented PU. To induce equation about distributed load of a disc, we use boundary condition of fully clamped circular plate and to obtain design parameters of a micro-fluidics system, CFD simulation is performed.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.1254-1258
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• 2007

Electro-active polymer (EAP), one of the smart materials, is a new alternative offering ultra-precise movements and bio-compatibility. We present the results of the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a fabricated diaphragm-type polymer actuator using segmented polyurethane(SPU). This paper illustrates the relationship between the elastic modulus and maximum deflection as a key property of the Maxwell stress effect and also presents the relationship between the dielectric constant and maximum deflection as a key property of the electrostriction effect, especially in polymer actuators using SPU. A diaphragm-type actuator was used to induce an equation of the vertically distributed load by using a fully clamped circular plate as the boundary condition. To verify the equation, the results were compared to the data measured from load cell. In the near future, a low-cost check valves and bio-robot can be applied by its actuators.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2021

This paper reviews recent developments and applications of dielectric elastomers (DEs) and suggests various techniques to improve DE properties. DEs as smart materials are a variety of electro-active polymers (EAPs) that convert electrical energy into mechanical energy and cause a large deformation when a voltage is applied. The dielectric constant, modulus, and dielectric loss of DEs determine the efficiency of deformation. Among these, the dielectric constant significantly affects their performance. Therefore, various recent approaches to improve the dielectric constant are reviewed, including the enhancement of polarization, introduction of microporous structures in the matrix, and introduction of ferroelectric fillers. Furthermore, the basic principles of DEs are examined, as well as their various applications such as actuators, generators, sensors, and artificial muscles.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.307-310
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• 1997

In case of environment requiring safety such as human body and requiring flexible shape, a conventional mechanical actuator system does not satisfy requirement. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, a research of various smart material such as EAP (Electro Active Polymer), EAC (Electro Active Ceramic) and SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) is in progress. Recently, the highest preferring material among various smart material is EP (Electrostictive Polymer), because it has very fast response time, poerful force and large displacement. The previous researches have been studied properties of polymer and simple control, but present researches are studied a polymer actuator. An EP (Electostrictive Polymer) actuator has properties which change variably as shape and environmental condition. Therefore, in order to coincide with a user's purpose, it is important not only to decide a shape of actuator and mechanical design but also to investigate a efficient controller. In this paper, we constructed the control logic with an adaptive fuvy algorithm which depends on the physical properties of EP that has a dielectric constant depending on time.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.94-103
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• 2003

In case of environment requiring safety such as human body and requiring flexible shape, a conventional mechanical actuator system does not satisfy requirements. Therefore, in order to solve these problems. a research of various smart material such as EAP (Electro Active Polymer), EAC (Electro Active Ceramic) and SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) is in progress. Recently, the highest preferring material among various smart material is EP (Electrostictive Polymer), because it has very fast response time, powerful force and large displacement. The previous researches have been studied properties of polymer and simple control, but present researches are studied a polymer actuator. An EP (Electostrictive Polymer) actuator has properties which change variably ils shape and environmental condition. Therefore, in order to coincide with a user's purpose, it is important not only to decide a shape of actuator and mechanical design but also to investigate a efficient controller. In this paper, we constructed the control logic with an adaptive fuzzy algorithm which depends on the physical properties of EP that has a dielectric constant depending on time. It caused for a sub-actuator to operate at the same time that a sub-actuator system operation increase with a functional improvement and control efficiency improvement in each actuator, hence it becomes very important to manage it effectively and to control the sub-system which Is operated effectively. There is a limitation on the management of Main-host system which has multiple sub-system, hence it brings out the Multi-Vehicle Control process that disperse the task efficiently. Controlling the multi-dispersion system efficiently, it needs the research of Main-host system's scheduling, data interchange between sub-actuators, data interchange between Main-host system and sub-actuator system, and data communication process. Therefore in this papers, we compared the fuzzy controller with the adaptive fuzzy controller. also, we applied the scheduling method for efficient multi-control in EP Actuator and the algorithm with interchanging data, protocol design.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.423.1-423.1
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• 2016

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has drawn much attention due to its many advantages. PVDF shows high mechanical strength and flexibility, thermal stability, and good piezoelectricity enabling its application to various fields such as sensors, actuators, and energy transducers. Further studies have been conducted on PVDF in the form of thin films. The thin films exhibit different ionic conductivity according to the number of pores within the film, letting these films to be applied as electrolytes or separators of batteries. Porous PVDF membranes are also easily processed, usually made by using electrospinning. However, a large portion of researches were conducted using PVDF membranes produced by far field electrospinning, which is not a well-controlled experimental method. In this paper, we use near field electrospinning (NFES) process for more controlled, small-scaled, mesh type PVDF structures of nano to micro fibers fabricated by controlling process parameters and investigate the properties of such membranous structures. These membranes vary according to geometrical shape, pore density, and fiber thickness. We then measured the mechanical strength and piezoelectric characteristic of the structures. With various geometries in the fiber structures and various scales in the fibers, these types of structures can potentially lead to broader applications for stretchable electronics and dielectric electro active polymers.

• Composites Research
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.211-215
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• 2019

The cell culture process under in vitro condition is much different from the actual human body environment. Therefore, in order to precisely simulate the human body environment, a dynamic cell culture device capable of delivering mechanical stimulation to cells is essential. However, conventional dynamic cell culture devices require relatively complicated devices such as tubes, pumps, and motors, and the mechanical stimuli delivered is also simple. In this study, an electro-active polymer actuator as a driving component is introduced to design simply driven dynamic cell culture device without complicated components. The device is capable of delivering relatively complex mechanical stimuli to the cells.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1497-1502
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• 2012

To manufacture a robot hand that essentially mimics the functions of a human hand, it is necessary to develop flexible actuators and sensors. In this study, we propose the design, manufacture, and performance verification of flexible actuators and sensors based on Electro Active Polymer (EAP). EAP is fabricated as a type of film, and it moves with changes in the voltage because of contraction and expansion in the polymer film. Furthermore, if a force is applied to an EAP film, its thickness and effective area change, and therefore, the capacitance also changes. By using this mechanism, we produce capacitive actuators and sensors. In this study, we propose an EAP-based capacitive sensor and evaluate its use as a robot hand sensor.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.89-101
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• 2006

Tactile sensation is one of the most important sensory functions for human perception of objects. Recently, there have been many technical challenges in the field of tactile display as well as tactile sensing. In this paper, we propose an innovative tactile display device based on soft actuator technology with ElectroActive Polymer(EAP). This device offers advantageous features over existing devices with respect to intrinsic flexibility, softness, ease of fabrication and miniaturization, high power density, and cost effectiveness. In particular, it can be adapted to various geometric configurations because it possesses structural flexibility, so it can be worn on any part of the human body such as finger, palm, and arm etc. It can be extensively applied as a wearable tactile display, a Braille device for the visually disabled, and a human interface in the future. A new design of the flexible actuator is proposed and its basic operational principles are discussed. In addition, a wearable tactile display device with $4{\times}5$ actuator array(20 actuator cells) is developed and its effectiveness is confirmed.