• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2021

Soft fluidic actuators (SFAs) are widely utilized in various areas such as wearable systems due to the inherent compliance which allows safe and flexible interaction. However, SFA-driven systems generally require a large pump, multiple valves and tubes, which hinders to develop a miniaturized system with small range of motion. Thus, a highly integrated soft actuator needs to be developed for implementing a compact SFA-driven system. In this study, we propose an electro-hydraulic soft zipping actuator that can be used as a miniature pump. This actuator exerts tactile force as a dielectric liquid contained inside the actuator pressurized its deformable part. In addition, the proposed actuator can estimate the internal dielectric liquid thickness by using its self-sensing function. Besides, the electrical characteristics and driving performance of the proposed system were verified through experiments.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.12-16
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• 2021

Attempts are being made to provide various tactile feedbacks to user. In particular, a variety of soft actuators are being inserted into the tactile feedback device to give a more flexible, soft and strong stimulation. In this study, a basic study was performed to utilize a hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuator as a tactile feedback actuator. The HASEL actuator showed great displacement and force with a simple circuit configuration. In particular, by making the actuator in a circular shape, the angle was reduced and the electrode was arranged in a ring shape to maximize the displacement of the central part. As a result, the HASEL actuator showed a displacement difference according to the input waveform. In addition, in order to use it safely as an actuator for tactile feedback, we covered the surface with silicone and confirmed that the actuator works well. Using these actuators, it will be possible to manufacture a lightweight, portable tactile feedback device.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2021

Soft robot research has been actively conducted due to the advantages of soft materials that have less motion restrictions and higher energy efficiency compared to rigid robots. In particular, soft robots are being applied in more and more diverse fields, and the need for soft robots is increasing, especially when dealing with soft or deformable objects that rigid robots cannot perform. Various soft robots are being developed, and studies on artificial muscles with versatility, seamless integration with sensing, and self-healing capabilities are being proposed. In this study, we propose one of the most simple rectangular shaped HASEL (Hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic) actuators and compare the performance according to shape deformation such as the size or ratio of actuators and electrodes. Developing these actuators can be used in many ways for artificial muscles in soft robotics.

• Ceramist
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.16-26
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• 2020

Recently, polymer-metal composite (IPMC)-based ionic artificial muscle has been drawing a huge attention for its excellent soft actuator performance having outstanding soft actuator performance with efficient conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy under low working voltage. In addition, light, flexible and soft nature of IPMC and high bending strain response enabled development of versatile sensor application in association with soft actuator. In this paper, current issues of IPMC were discussed including standardizing preparation steps, relaxation under DC bias, inhibiting solvent evaporation, and improving poor output force. Solutions for these drawbacks of IPMC have recently been suggested in recent studies. After following explanation of the IPMC working mechanism, we investigate the main factors that affect the operating performance of the IPMC. Then, we reviewed the optimized IPMC actuator fabrication conditions especially for the preparation process, additive selection for a thicker membrane, water content, solvent substitutes, encapsulation, etc. Lastly, we considered the pros and cons of IPMCs for sensor application in a theoretical and experimental point of view. The strategies discussed in this paper to overcome such deficiencies of IPMCs are highly expected to provide a scope for IPMC utilization in soft robotics application.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2021

The gripper with a soft pneumatic actuator uses a soft material, unlike the gripper that uses a rigid body, so it is safer and lighter to interact with objects without advanced control technology. Among the soft pneumatic actuators that have been studied, PneuNets actuators have bellows shape, which enable quick operation and complete bending with only small material deformation at low pressure. In this study, we suggested improved form of PneuNets actuators to obtain the performance of the soft actuator that a larger bending angle and larger bending force at a small pressure. An experiment was designed and conducted to measure the bending angle and bending force according to the pressure. As a result, it was confirmed through experiments that the improved model has a maximum bending angle at a pressure of 5 kPa lower than that of the previous model, and a maximum bending force of 1.97 times at the same pressure.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2021

As the robot industry develops, industrial automation uses industrial robots in many parts of the manufacturing industry. However, rigidity-based conventional robots have a disadvantage in that they are challenging to use in environments where they grab fragile objects or interact with people because of their high rigidity. Therefore, researches on soft robot have been actively conducted. The soft robot can hold or manipulate fragile objects by using its compliance and has high safety even in an atypical environment with human interaction. However, these advantages are difficult to use in dynamic situations and control by the material's nonlinear behavior. However, for the soft robot to be used in the industry, control is essential. Therefore, in this paper, real-time PD control is applied, and the behavior of the soft actuator is analyzed by providing various waveforms as inputs. Also, Iterative learning control (ILC) is applied to reduce errors and select an ILC type suitable for soft actuators.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 2022

In this paper, we considered the deformation shape of the soft rotation actuator as a double curvature shell and proceeded with the analytical development. Since the response of the hyperelastic material has a large nonlinear deformation, the analytical approach is very complicated and the solution cannot be easily obtained. it is assumed that the behavior of the flexible body, which is a superelastic material, takes the form of a double curvature shell, and the formulas for calculating the deformation are simplified. In this process, equilibrium equations in the related coordinate system representing a double curvature shell were derived. In addition, assuming a thin shell, the stress component in the thickness direction was ignored, and the equation was developed by adding the assumption of free rotation without load. In order to verify the analytically calculated value in this way, an experiment was conducted and the results were compared.

• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.429-436
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• 2007

In this study, we improved control performance of an EMV (electromechanical valve) system using a PM/EM (permanent magnet/electromagnet) hybrid EMA (electromagnetic actuator) and showed the feasibilities of both soft landing and fast transition of the EMV system using a simple PID control. The conventional EMV systems using only EM show significant nonlinear characteristics. Therefore, it is very difficult to control the valve position and several complex control schemes are used. This paper focused on the control performance improvement using a PM/EM hybrid actuator. In particular, a PM is used as a key design parameter such as a bias current of a magnetic bearing in order to improve the linear characteristic of the actuator, although most PM/EM hybrid actuators use a PM as a power saver during valve-open and -closed states. First, a FE (finite element) analysis was performed to confirm its linear static force characteristics. Then, both a test rig and a valve control system were built in order to prove experimentally the control performance improvement of the actuator. Finally, feasibilities of both soft landing and fast transition of the system were shown experimentally through gain-scheduled PID (proportional derivative integral) control.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.401-415
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• 2021

Soft robots are promising devices for applications in drug delivery, sensing, and manufacturing. Traditional hard robotics are manufactured with rigid materials and their degrees of motion are constrained by the orientation of the joints. In contrast to rigid counterpart, soft robotics, employing soft and stretchable materials that easily deforms in shape, can realize complex motions (i.e., locomotion, swimming, and grappling) with a simple structure, and easily adapt to dynamic environment. Among them, the magnetic actuators exhibit unique characteristics such as rapid and accurate motion control, biocompatibility, and facile remote controllability, which make them promising candidates for the next-generation soft robots. Especially, the magnetic actuators instantly response to the stimuli, and show no-hysteresis during the recovery process, essential for continuous motion control. Here, we present the state-of-the-art fabrication process of magnetically controllable nano-/micro-composites, magnetically aligning process of the composites, and 1-dimensional/multi-dimensional multimodal motion control for the nextgeneration soft actuators.

• 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.