Dynamically tunable hemispherical electronic eye camera system with adjustable zoom capability

Jung, Inhwa; Xiao, Jianliang; Malyarchuk, Viktor; Li, Chaofeng; Li, Ming; Liu, Zhuangjian; Yoon, Jongseung; Huang, Yonggang; Rogers, John A.

doi:10.1073/pnas.1015440108

Cited by 248 publications

(227 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…4a shows the working principle of a fluid-filled elastomeric lens with an annular DE actuator as an artificial muscle. A voltage between 1 to 3 kV was applied to the annular actuator to deform the lens and it successfully changed the focal length, with multiple advantages such as silent operation, compact size, and low weight (Jung et al, 2011). DE-activated tunable optics like transmission grating and structural color modulators also make use of the voltage-induced area expansion of DEs as the main activation mechanism (Wang Y. et al, 2014b).…”

Section: Applications Of De Actuationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanics of dielectric elastomers: materials, structures, and devices

Qian

2016

JZUS-A

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Dielectric elastomers (DEs) respond to applied electric voltage with a surprisingly large deformation, showing a promising capability to generate actuation in mimicking natural muscles. A theoretical foundation of the mechanics of DEs is of crucial importance in designing DE-based structures and devices. In this review, we survey some recent theoretical and numerical efforts in exploring several aspects of electroactive materials, with emphases on the governing equations of electromechanical coupling, constitutive laws, viscoelastic behaviors, electromechanical instability as well as actuation applications. An overview of analytical models is provided based on the representative approach of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, with computational analyses being required in more generalized situations such as irregular shape, complex configuration, and time-dependent deformation. Theoretical efforts have been devoted to enhancing the working limits of DE actuators by avoiding electromechanical instability as well as electric breakdown, and pre-strains are shown to effectively avoid the two failure modes. These studies lay a solid foundation to facilitate the use of DE materials, structures, and devices in a wide range of applications such as biomedical devices, adaptive systems, robotics, energy harvesting, etc.

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Section: Applications Of De Actuationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanics of dielectric elastomers: materials, structures, and devices

Qian

2016

JZUS-A

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“…A simple elastomeric structure of appropriate design, for example, can provide the function of a hinge or joint, without the complexity of a multicomponent mechanical structure (18)(19)(20). Soft robotics may, thus, initially be a field more closely related to materials science and to chemistry than to mechanical engineering.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Multigait soft robot

Shepherd

Ilievski

Choi

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

1,817

1,232

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This manuscript describes a unique class of locomotive robot: A soft robot, composed exclusively of soft materials (elastomeric polymers), which is inspired by animals (e.g., squid, starfish, worms) that do not have hard internal skeletons. Soft lithography was used to fabricate a pneumatically actuated robot capable of sophisticated locomotion (e.g., fluid movement of limbs and multiple gaits). This robot is quadrupedal; it uses no sensors, only five actuators, and a simple pneumatic valving system that operates at low pressures (<10 psi). A combination of crawling and undulation gaits allowed this robot to navigate a difficult obstacle. This demonstration illustrates an advantage of soft robotics: They are systems in which simple types of actuation produce complex motion.biomimetic | mobile R obotics developed to increase the range of motions and functions open to machines, and to build into them some of the characteristics [including autonomous motion (1-3), adaptability to the environment (4-7), and capability of decision making (8, 9)] of animals, particularly animals with skeletons. Most mobile robots are built with hard materials (hard robots), either by adding treads or wheels (10, 11) to conventional machines to increase their mobility, or by starting with conceptual models based on animals [e.g., Big Dog (12) and many others (13-15)], and replicating some of their features in hard structures. Although robotics has made enormous progress in the last 50 years, hard robots still have many limitations. Some of these limitations are mechanical, and include instability when moving in difficult terrain; some have to do with the ranges of motions afforded by actuators and structures (e.g., metal rods, mechanical joints, and electric motors); some stem from the complexity in control (especially when handling materials and structures that are soft, delicate, and complex in shape). Hard robots fabricated from metals are also often heavy and expensive, and thus are not suitable for some applications.New classes of robots may thus find uses in applications where conventional hard robots are unsuitable. We are interested in a unique class of robots: That is, soft robots fabricated in materials (predominantly elastomeric polymers) that do not use a rigid skeleton to provide mechanical strength. The objective of this work is to demonstrate a soft robot that requires only simple design and control to generate mobility. In this demonstration, we begin to address some of the issues that have limited the development of soft robots. Instead of basing this and other designs on highly evolved animals as models, we are using simpler organisms [e.g., worms (16) and starfish (17)] for inspiration. These organisms, ones without internal skeletons, suggest designs that are simpler to make and are less expensive than conventional hard robots, and that may, in some respects, be more capable of complex motions and functions. Simple, inexpensive systems will probably not replace more complex and expensive ones, but may have different...

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“…The calculated radius of curvature, R 1 , and the apical height, h, of the hemisphere are 6 and 1.5 mm, respectively. Since the ratio of h/(D 1 /2) = 0.37 is less than 1, the spherical cap geometry approximation is maintained [15]. During actuation, the DEA membrane stretches, increasing the curvature of the DEA membrane (R 2 ), which increases R 1 and decreases R 3 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-speed, compact, adaptive lenses using in-line transparent dielectric elastomer actuator membranes

2013

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Electrically tunable adaptive lenses provide several advantages over traditional lens assemblies in terms of compactness, speed, efficiency, and flexibility. We present an elastomer-liquid lens system which makes use of an in-line, transparent electroactive polymer actuator. The lens has two liquid-filled cavities enclosed within two frames, with two passive outer elastomer membranes and an internal transparent electroactive membrane. Advantages of the lens design over existing systems include large apertures, flexibility in choosing the starting lens curvature, and electrode encapsulation with a dielectric liquid. A lens power change up to 40 diopters, corresponding to focal length variation up to 300%, was recorded during actuation, with a response time on the order of tens of milliseconds.

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Dynamically tunable hemispherical electronic eye camera system with adjustable zoom capability

Cited by 248 publications

References 23 publications

Mechanics of dielectric elastomers: materials, structures, and devices

Mechanics of dielectric elastomers: materials, structures, and devices

Multigait soft robot

High-speed, compact, adaptive lenses using in-line transparent dielectric elastomer actuator membranes

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