A novel electric stimulus-responsive micro-actuator for powerful biomimetic motions

Abstract

Limited by the surface-to-volume ratio of structural materials, it is a great challenge for the millimetre-sized actuator to achieve high output performance. Traditional rigid actuators can achieve higher vibration frequency...

Asymmetric microfiber actuators with reciprocal deformation

“…These microscopic devices have garnered considerable research attention and exhibit substantial promise across diverse domains such as microlifters, 1 micro-joints, 2 artificial muscles, 3-5 energy harvesting, 6 biomedicine, [7][8][9][10] microvalves, 11 liquid seals, 12 bioinspired transparency, 13,14 color change, 15 and beyond. To power and maneuver these microactuators, a spectrum of energy sources has been harnessed, including light, [16][17][18][19][20] electricity, 19,[21][22][23] acoustics, 24 thermal energy, 18 magnetic fields, [25][26][27] and chemical reactions 28,29 (Table S1, ESI †). The choice of materials for microactuators spans composites, 26,30,31 carbon nanotubes, 22,30 liquid crystal elastomers, 5,32-34 and biodegradable 35,36 and hygroscopic 36 polymers 20 and more.…”