Reducing the peak actuating force(PAF)and parasitic displacement is of high significance for improving the performance of compliant parallel mechanisms(CPMs).In this study,a 2-DOF 4-4R compliant parallel pointing mech...Reducing the peak actuating force(PAF)and parasitic displacement is of high significance for improving the performance of compliant parallel mechanisms(CPMs).In this study,a 2-DOF 4-4R compliant parallel pointing mechanism(4-4R CPPM)was used as the object,and the actuating force of the mechanism was optimized through redundant actuation.This was aimed at minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement.First,a kinetostatic model of the redundantly actuated 4-4R CPPM was established to reveal the relationship between the input forces/displacements and the output displacements of the mobile platform.Subsequently,based on the established kinetostatic model,methods for optimizing the actuating force distribution with the aim of minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement were introduced successively.Second,a simulated example of a mobile platform’s spatial pointing trajectory validated the accuracy of the kinetostatic model.The results show a less than 0.9%relative error between the analytical and finite element(FE)results,and the high consistency indicates the accuracy of the kinetostatic model.Then,the effectiveness of the method in minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement was validated using two simulated examples.The results indicate that compared with the non-redundant actuation case,the PAF of the mechanism could be reduced by up to 50%,and the parasitic displacement was reduced by approximately three-four orders of magnitude by means of redundant actuation combined with the optimal distribution of the actuating force.As expected,with the reduction in parasitic displacement,the FE-results of the output angular displacements(θ_(x) andθ_(z))of the mobile platform were closer to the target oscillation trajectory.This further verified that the reduction in parasitic displacement is indeed effective in improving the motion accuracy of the mechanism.The advantage of this proposed method is that it reduces the PAF and parasitic displacement from the perspective of the actuating force control strategy,without the requirement of structural changes to the original mechanism.展开更多
The hydraulic exoskeleton is one research hotspot in the field of robotics,which can take heavy load due to the high power density of the hydraulic system.However,the traditional hydraulic system is normally centraliz...The hydraulic exoskeleton is one research hotspot in the field of robotics,which can take heavy load due to the high power density of the hydraulic system.However,the traditional hydraulic system is normally centralized,inefficient,and bulky during application,which limits its development in the exoskeleton.For improving the robot's performance,its hydraulic actuating system should be optimized further.In this paper a novel hydraulic actuating system(HAS)based on electric-hydrostatic actuator is proposed,which is applied to hip and knee joints.Each HAS integrates an electric servo motor,a high-speed micro pump,a specific tank,and other components into a module.The specific parameters are obtained through relevant simulation according to human motion data and load requirements.The dynamic models of the HAS are built,and validated by the system identification.Experiments of trajectory tracking and human-exoskeleton interaction are carried out,which demonstrate the proposed HAS has the ability to be applied to the exoskeleton.Compared with the previous prototype,the total weight of the HAS in the robot is reduced by about 40%,and the power density is increased by almost 1.6 times.展开更多
Piezoelectric ceramic element (PCE) is a kind of actuator applied widely on the intelligent material & structure. Establishing the relationship between the transferring stress and the controlling signal, namely t...Piezoelectric ceramic element (PCE) is a kind of actuator applied widely on the intelligent material & structure. Establishing the relationship between the transferring stress and the controlling signal, namely the transferring and actuating equation, is a key step to analyze the actuating performance of the PCE. Based on the method of the shear lag theory, the procedure of the stress transferring is analyzed and the transferring and actuating model is established in this paper. Some measurements for PCE(PZT5) actuating the Glass Fiber/Epoxy laminate have been done to verify the model established. The experimental results show that the theoretical model agrees well with the practice. Finally, the effect of the main factors on PCE actuating the laminate is studied by using the experimental and theoretical results.展开更多
Three kinds of landing gear actuating cylinder inner-locks of an aircrafi ： block ring lock, steel ball lock, finger lock are taken as the study object based on the mechanics, geometry, materials, technology etc and ...Three kinds of landing gear actuating cylinder inner-locks of an aircrafi ： block ring lock, steel ball lock, finger lock are taken as the study object based on the mechanics, geometry, materials, technology etc and some aircrafi typical inner-lock practical applications. The working principle of the three typical actuating cylinder innerlocks are expounded and the stress and workmanship requirements of the three inner-lock core components are analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of different kinds are compared and the characteristics and applications of the three inner-locks investigated. The research and analysis results provide valuable information for the actuating cylinder inner-lock of the aircraft landing gear design.展开更多
In this paper the conception of smart materials and structures is firstly combined with research of air bag,and the main theory of self adapting cushioning of intelligent air bag is expatiated.The intelligent venting...In this paper the conception of smart materials and structures is firstly combined with research of air bag,and the main theory of self adapting cushioning of intelligent air bag is expatiated.The intelligent venting structure is the main part affecting the cushioning result.Electrostrictive material was found having big force,high response speed and wide linearity,and it is fit to utilize in intelligent venting structure. The characteristic of the dynamic response and cushioning actuating of an electrostrictive stack actuator is analyzed,and the result of the computer simulation of the fuzzy control to intelligent venting structure is given.It is concluded that intelligent venting structure has good actuating characteristic and can satisfy the need of intelligent air bag.展开更多
The influence of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge was studied in detail.A loose coupling method was used to simulate the ...The influence of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge was studied in detail.A loose coupling method was used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogen–oxygen mixture in a detonation tube under different actuating voltage amplitudes and discharge gap sizes.Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process assisted by the plasma were analyzed.It was found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle keep unchanged as changing the two discharge operating parameters.However,the adoption of a higher actuating voltage leads to a higher active species concentration within the discharge zone,and atom H is the most sensitive to the variations of the actuating voltage amplitude among the given species.Adopting a larger discharge gap results in a lower concentration of the active species,and all species have the same sensitivity to the variations of the gap.With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube,the corresponding deflagration to detonation transition（DDT） time and distance become slightly longer when a higher actuating voltage is chosen.The acceleration effect of plasma is more prominent with a smaller discharge gap,and the benefit builds gradually throughout the DDT process.Generally,these two control parameters have little effect on the amplitude of the flow field parameters,and they do not alter the combustion degree within the reaction zone.展开更多
Aiming at studying the influence of actuating frequency on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge, a loosely coupled method is used to simulate the detonation initiat...Aiming at studying the influence of actuating frequency on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge, a loosely coupled method is used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogenoxygen mixture in a detonation tube at different actuating frequencies. Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process which is assisted by the plasma are analyzed. It is found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle are not changed by the actuating frequency. However, the concentration of every species decreases as the actuating frequency rises, and atom O is the most sensitive to this variation, which is related to the decrease of discharge power. With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube, the deflagration-todetonation transition（DDT） time and distance both increase as the actuating frequency rises, but the degree of effect on DDT development during flow field evolution is erratic. Generally, the actuating frequency affects none of the amplitude value of the pressure, temperature, species concentration of the flow field, and the combustion degree within the reaction zone.展开更多
The paper addresses the designs of a caudal peduncle actuator, which is able to furnish a thrust for swimming of a robotic fish. The caudal peduncle actuator is based on concepts of ferromagnetic shape memory alloy （...The paper addresses the designs of a caudal peduncle actuator, which is able to furnish a thrust for swimming of a robotic fish. The caudal peduncle actuator is based on concepts of ferromagnetic shape memory alloy （FSMA） composite and hybrid mechanism that can provide a fast response and a strong thrust. The caudal peduncle actuator was inspired by Scomber Scombrus which utilises thunniform mode swimming, which is the most efficient locomotion mode evolved in the aquatic environment, where the thrust is generated by the lift-based method, allowing high cruising speeds to be maintained for a long period of time. The morphology of an average size Scomber Scombrus （length in 310 mm） was investigated, and a 1：1 scale caudal peduncle actuator prototype was modelled and fabricated. The propulsive wave characteristics of the fish at steady speeds were employed as initial design objectives. Some key design parameters are investigated, i.e. aspect ratio （AR） （AR = 3.49）, Reynolds number （Re = 429 649）, reduced frequency （σ = 1.03）, Strouhal number （St = 0.306） and the maximum strain of the bent tail was estimated at ε = 1.11% which is in the range of superelasticity. The experimental test of the actuator was carried out in a water tank. By applying 7 V and 2.5 A, the actuator can reach the tip-to-tip rotational angle of 85° at 4 Hz.展开更多
In micro-electrochemical machining(μECM), material dissolution takes place at very close vicinity of tool electrode due to localization of electric field. Controlling the gap between tool electrode and workpiece is t...In micro-electrochemical machining(μECM), material dissolution takes place at very close vicinity of tool electrode due to localization of electric field. Controlling the gap between tool electrode and workpiece is the key to μECM. Therefore, a new method is proposed to solve a variety of problems in small gap control. In the present context, experiments were carried out with an indigenously developed setup to fabricate cylindrical arrays. During the machining process, the flat electrode bends due to electrostatic force in pulse on-time, which self-adaptively narrows the gap between the electrode and the workpiece. The workpiece material will be removed once the gap meets the processing condition. Therefore, this method has advantages of reducing dependence on high precision machine tools and of avoiding complex servo control. The flat electrode quickly restores to its original condition when it is in pulse off-time, making the gap much larger than that in traditional electrochemical machining(ECM). The large gap benefits debris removing, which improves the machining accuracy. The influence of different experimental parameters on accuracy and efficiency during the machining process has been investigated. It is observed that with the increase in applied voltage or concentration of electrolyte, the material removal rate and the process gap both increase. The detailed analysis of the experimental results is described in this paper.展开更多
Multi-functional smart textiles are receiving a lot of attention for their tremendous application devel-opment in the fields of personal thermal management,artificial muscle,electronic skin,and human-machine interacti...Multi-functional smart textiles are receiving a lot of attention for their tremendous application devel-opment in the fields of personal thermal management,artificial muscle,electronic skin,and human-machine interaction.For the complex use of many different smart textiles,designing a multifunctional textile that integrates personal thermal management,smart sensing,and flexible actuating is still a great challenge.Here,we decorated MXene on elastic fabrics by simple dip-coating and asymmetric Ecoflex encapsulation protocol to obtain electrical/optical dual-energy-driven wearable heaters with highly re-sponsive actuating and strain-sensing performance.The MXene fabric-based heaters(MFHs)have high efficiency of Joule heating(Steady state temperature of 116.7℃ at 12 V)and photothermal conversion performance(180.3℃ in 60 s under the near infrared lamp irradiation,up to 57.5℃ under 600 W m^(-2) simulated solar irradiation).Benefiting from high electrical/optical dual-energy conversion efficiency,MFH has a fast photothermal driving effect(bending angle up to 360°in 5 s)due to the different curvature of thermal expansion on both sides of the fabric.Interestingly,MFH has the capability to monitor human strain(such as muscle and joint movements).Based on the above excellent performance,we finally be-lieve that the MFHs have broad application prospects in the fields of all-weather body heat management,health monitoring,thermal health care,and thermal robotics.展开更多
Achieving autonomously responding to external stimuli and providing real-time feedback on their motion state are key challenges in soft robotics.Herein,we propose an asymmetric three-layer hydrogel muscle with integra...Achieving autonomously responding to external stimuli and providing real-time feedback on their motion state are key challenges in soft robotics.Herein,we propose an asymmetric three-layer hydrogel muscle with integrated sensing and actuating performances.The actuating layer,made of p(NIPAm-HEMA),features an open pore structure,enabling it to achieve 58%volume shrinkage in just 8 s.The customizable heater allows for efficient programmable deformation of the actuating layer.A strain-responsive hydrogel layer,with a linear response of up to 50%strain,is designed to sense the deformation process.Leveraging these actuating and sensing capabilities,we develop an integrated hydrogel muscle that can recognize lifted objects with various weights or grasped objects of different sizes.Furthermore,we demonstrate a self-crawling robot to showcase the application potential of the hydrogel muscle for soft robots working in aquatic environments.This robot,featuring a modular distributed sensing and actuating layer,can autonomously move forward under closed-loop control based on self-detected resistance signals.The strategy of modular distributed stimuli-responsive sensing and actuating materials offers unprecedented capabilities for creating smart and multifunctional soft robotics.展开更多
Despite enormous efforts in actuators,most researches are only limited to various actuation behaviors and demonstrations of soft materials.It has not yet been reported to capture and monitor its movement status in an ...Despite enormous efforts in actuators,most researches are only limited to various actuation behaviors and demonstrations of soft materials.It has not yet been reported to capture and monitor its movement status in an invisible environment.Therefore,it is of great significance to develop a self-sensing and self-actuating dual-function hydrogel actuator system to realize real-time monitoring.Here,we report a bifunctional hydrogel system with self-actuating and self-monitoring abilities,which combines the functions of photothermal actuation and electrical resistance sensing into a single material.The bilayer tough conductive hydrogel synthesized by unconventional complementary concentration recombination and cryogenic freezing technique presents a dense conductive network and high-porosity structure,achieving high toughness at 190.3 kPa of tensile strength,high stretchability(164.3%strain),and the toughness dramatically(1,471.4 kJ·m^(−3)).The working mechanism of the monitoring and self-sensing system is accomplished through the integrated monitoring device of surface temperature–bending angle–electron current,to solve the problem of not apperceiving actuator motion state when encountering obstacles in an invisible environment.We demonstrated for the first time a photothermal actuator’s motion of a football player and goalkeeper to finish the penalty and a soft actuator hand,which can achieve the action of sticking to grab and release under photo-thermal actuation.When connected to the control closed circuit,the actuator realized closed-loop monitoring and sensing feedback.The development of bifunctional hydrogel systems may bring new opportunities and ideas in the fields of material science,circuit technology,sensors,and mechanical engineering.展开更多
This paper studies cooperative robust parallel operation of multiple actuators over an undirected communication graph.The plant is modeled as an uncertain linear system,and the actuators are linear and identical.Based...This paper studies cooperative robust parallel operation of multiple actuators over an undirected communication graph.The plant is modeled as an uncertain linear system,and the actuators are linear and identical.Based on the internal model principle,a distributed dynamic output feedback control law is proposed to achieve both robust output regulation of the closed-loop system and plant input sharing among the actuators.A practical example of five motors cooperatively driving an uncertain shaft under an external load torque is presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control law.展开更多
Soft actuators,capable of producing mechanical work in response to external stimuli,have potential applications in robotics and exoskeletons.However,they face major challenges related to energy supply,especially in lo...Soft actuators,capable of producing mechanical work in response to external stimuli,have potential applications in robotics and exoskeletons.However,they face major challenges related to energy supply,especially in long-distance and miniaturized environments.Fuel-driven actuators offer a promising solution by enabling the conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy,supporting selfsustaining operations.Chemical energy from fuel can be converted into mechanical energy either directly or indirectly through methods such as electron transfer-induced charge injection,structural changes,fuel-to-electricity conversion,fuel combustioninduced heat,or fuel-induced pneumatic actuation.This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in fuel-powered actuators,covering their fundamental principles,advancements,and challenges.It concludes with an outlook for miniaturized and autonomous robots,highlighting the great potential of integrating fuel-powered actuators.展开更多
Azobenzene-based polymer actuators show great promise for photoactuation owing to their unique photoisomerization behavior and tailorable molecular programmability.However,conventional systems are limited by inadequat...Azobenzene-based polymer actuators show great promise for photoactuation owing to their unique photoisomerization behavior and tailorable molecular programmability.However,conventional systems are limited by inadequate mechanical robustness,self-healing,and recyclability,hindering their practical implementation.Herein,we present a high-performance azobenzene-functionalized polyurethane(AzoPU)elastomer actuator designed via molecular engineering of photoactive azobenzene moieties and dynamic disulfide bonds.AzoPU exhibits exceptional mechanical properties with retained performance after multiple reshaping cycles,enabled by well-engineered hard-soft segments and synergistic stress dissipation from weak covalent bonds/hierarchical hydrogen bonds.It achieves over 93%self-healing efficiency at room temperature owing to the synergistic interplay of disulfide bonds in the polymer backbone and intermolecular hydrogen bonds.Furthermore,it demonstrates remarkable light-triggered actuation behavior,achieving a phototropic bending angle exceeding 180°toward the light source within 45 s.To showcase its practical potential,proof-of-concept photoactuated devices with flower-,hook-,and gripper-like and local-orientation processed strip-shaped structures were fabricated,which exhibited rapid and reversible light-triggered deformation.This study proposes a novel strategy for the development of intelligent polymeric materials that integrate light responsiveness,self-healing,and recyclability,thus holding great promise for applications in flexible electronics,smart actuators,and sustainable functional materials.展开更多
Microrobotic systems are emerging as transformative technology for minimally invasive medicine,driven by innovations in actuation mechanisms,advanced fabrication paradigms,and multifunctional system integration.This c...Microrobotic systems are emerging as transformative technology for minimally invasive medicine,driven by innovations in actuation mechanisms,advanced fabrication paradigms,and multifunctional system integration.This comprehensive review analyzes the evolution of microrobotic technologies through three critical dimensions:(1)actuation modalities,including magnetic,optical,acoustic,chemical,and biological actuation,with a focus on the synergistic advantages of hybrid actuation strategies in complex internal physiological environments;(2)Fabrication methods cover technolo-gies such as photolithography,microinjection molding,self-assembly,and 3D printing,emphasizing innovative strategies involving multi-technology integration and collaborative manufacturing of bio/non-bio hybrid materials;(3)Internal phys-iological applications involve disease diagnosis,targeted drug delivery,minimally invasive surgery,tissue engineering,and cell manipulation,highlighting the broad prospects of microrobots in precision medicine.Despite remarkable progress,critical challenges remain,including low actuation efficiency,as seen in acoustic systems,limited biocompatibility,exem-plified by the toxicity of hydrogen peroxide in chemical actuation,delayed clinical translation,and other related challenges that must be addressed to advance the field.展开更多
Soft robotic manipulators represent a rapidly evolving field characterized by inherent compliance,adaptability,and safe interactions within unstructured environments.Over the past decade(2015-2025),significant advance...Soft robotic manipulators represent a rapidly evolving field characterized by inherent compliance,adaptability,and safe interactions within unstructured environments.Over the past decade(2015-2025),significant advancements have trans-formed their capabilities through novel designs inspired by biological systems,advanced modeling frameworks,sophisti-cated control strategies,and integration into diverse real-world applications.Recent innovations in multifunctional mate-rials and emerging actuation technologies have markedly expanded manipulator performance,reliability,and dexterity.Concurrently,developments in modeling have progressed from simplified geometric methods toward highly accurate physics-based and hybrid data-driven approaches,substantially improving real-time prediction and controllability.Coupled with these developments,adaptive and robust control strategies-including learning-based techniques-have enabled unprec-edented autonomy and precision in challenging application domains such as Minimally Invasive Surgery(MIS),precision agriculture,deep-sea exploration,disaster recovery,and space missions.Despite these remarkable strides,key challenges remain,notably regarding scalability,long-term material durability,robust integrated sensing,and standardized evaluation procedures.This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advances,critically evaluates state-of-the-art methodologies,and systematically identifies existing gaps to provide a clear roadmap and targeted research directions,guiding future developments toward the broader adoption and optimal utilization of soft robotic manipulators.展开更多
Soft pneumatic structures are promising for the actuation of soft machines,and substantial advances have occurred in their innovative design and functional verification.However,most pneumatic structures lack self-sens...Soft pneumatic structures are promising for the actuation of soft machines,and substantial advances have occurred in their innovative design and functional verification.However,most pneumatic structures lack self-sensing abilities,resulting in a lack of motion state feedback and difficulty in achieving real-time closed-loop control.Herein,a soft pneumatic composite structure(SPCS)with integrated actuation and sensing abilities is developed by combining a bellows-shaped magnetic elastomer and a wire structure.The SPCS can generate an induced voltage under deformation.The SPCS mechanical and magnetoelectric characteristics are studied comprehensively.The SPCS experimental maximum contraction is 27 mm,which is close to the theoretical and numerical results.When the SPCS is actuated by a pressure of-40 kPa,it will generate a peak induced voltage of 1.01 mV.With the increase in magnetic powder content and turns of the spiral wire,the induced voltage also increases.Additionally,two SPCSs are used to develop a self-sensing actuator,which can accurately perceive the bending direction and recognize the magnitude and direction of external force.A self-sensing soft gripper is developed,which can sense the grasping status and predict the width of grasped objects.Furthermore,a smart vehicle detection system composed of two SPCSs is proposed,which can detect the number,speed,and weight of passing vehicles.Consequently,the SPCS has numerous potential applications in soft sensors and self-sensing intelligent soft machines.展开更多
The growing demand for personalized health care,smart wearables,and advanced environmental monitoring has spurred the development of multifunctional materials that combine flexibility,environmental adaptability,and di...The growing demand for personalized health care,smart wearables,and advanced environmental monitoring has spurred the development of multifunctional materials that combine flexibility,environmental adaptability,and diverse functionalities.However,conventional materials often failed to integrate these attributes simultaneously,hindering their applicability in next-generation technologies.Here,we present an organic-inorganic hybrid crystalline material with a unique sandwich-like architecture,in which a flexible organic crystal core is encased by reduced graphene oxide(rGO)and thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU).This strategic integration endows the material with fluorescence,cryogenic flexibility,and electrical conductivity,while also enabling dual sensing and actuation capabilities.The rGO layer facilitates real-time humidity(25-90%RH)and temperature(25-180℃)sensing through environmental interactions,whereas the differential thermal expansion between TPU and the flexible crystal core drives efficient photothermal actuation at-150℃for advanced thermal regulation.The hybrid material exhibits stable performance under extreme conditions,making it a promising candidate for biomedical monitoring,flexible electronics,and energy applications.This work establishes hybrid crystalline materials as versatile and scalable platforms for addressing complex technological demands,paving the way for their application in next-generation multifunctional devices.展开更多
The soft actuator is characterized by high safety,flexibility,and adaptability.It is capable of both active and passive defor-mations.This paper presents a discrete degree of freedom(DOF)method for soft actuators to r...The soft actuator is characterized by high safety,flexibility,and adaptability.It is capable of both active and passive defor-mations.This paper presents a discrete degree of freedom(DOF)method for soft actuators to reveal DOF characteristics.The method draws on the superposition mechanism of the deformation characteristics of the sarcomere in the skeletal muscles of living organisms.Firstly,the multi-DOF deformation characteristics of the soft actuator are discretized into superimposed combinations of single-DOF micro-units.Then,the soft actuator was determined to contain deformation characteristics such as extension-contraction,bending,and twisting.Eighteen types of micro-units with basic deforma-tion characteristics were obtained depending on the axis and orientation.Further,the mapping relationship between the combination of micro-units and the motion characteristics of the soft actuator based on the GF set theory was established.Finally,an active-passive DOF co-structured soft actuator(APCSA)was developed.The graphical approach analyzes the experimental results,and it can be concluded that active and passive DOFs can coexist in the composite deformation of the soft actuator.展开更多
基金Supported by Key Project of Hubei Provincial Department of Education Research Program(Grant No.D20211401).
文摘Reducing the peak actuating force(PAF)and parasitic displacement is of high significance for improving the performance of compliant parallel mechanisms(CPMs).In this study,a 2-DOF 4-4R compliant parallel pointing mechanism(4-4R CPPM)was used as the object,and the actuating force of the mechanism was optimized through redundant actuation.This was aimed at minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement.First,a kinetostatic model of the redundantly actuated 4-4R CPPM was established to reveal the relationship between the input forces/displacements and the output displacements of the mobile platform.Subsequently,based on the established kinetostatic model,methods for optimizing the actuating force distribution with the aim of minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement were introduced successively.Second,a simulated example of a mobile platform’s spatial pointing trajectory validated the accuracy of the kinetostatic model.The results show a less than 0.9%relative error between the analytical and finite element(FE)results,and the high consistency indicates the accuracy of the kinetostatic model.Then,the effectiveness of the method in minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement was validated using two simulated examples.The results indicate that compared with the non-redundant actuation case,the PAF of the mechanism could be reduced by up to 50%,and the parasitic displacement was reduced by approximately three-four orders of magnitude by means of redundant actuation combined with the optimal distribution of the actuating force.As expected,with the reduction in parasitic displacement,the FE-results of the output angular displacements(θ_(x) andθ_(z))of the mobile platform were closer to the target oscillation trajectory.This further verified that the reduction in parasitic displacement is indeed effective in improving the motion accuracy of the mechanism.The advantage of this proposed method is that it reduces the PAF and parasitic displacement from the perspective of the actuating force control strategy,without the requirement of structural changes to the original mechanism.
基金Supported by Nati onal Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2018YFB1305400,2018YFB1305402)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.518902883)Fun dame ntal Resea rch Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.2018XZZX001-04).
文摘The hydraulic exoskeleton is one research hotspot in the field of robotics,which can take heavy load due to the high power density of the hydraulic system.However,the traditional hydraulic system is normally centralized,inefficient,and bulky during application,which limits its development in the exoskeleton.For improving the robot's performance,its hydraulic actuating system should be optimized further.In this paper a novel hydraulic actuating system(HAS)based on electric-hydrostatic actuator is proposed,which is applied to hip and knee joints.Each HAS integrates an electric servo motor,a high-speed micro pump,a specific tank,and other components into a module.The specific parameters are obtained through relevant simulation according to human motion data and load requirements.The dynamic models of the HAS are built,and validated by the system identification.Experiments of trajectory tracking and human-exoskeleton interaction are carried out,which demonstrate the proposed HAS has the ability to be applied to the exoskeleton.Compared with the previous prototype,the total weight of the HAS in the robot is reduced by about 40%,and the power density is increased by almost 1.6 times.
文摘Piezoelectric ceramic element (PCE) is a kind of actuator applied widely on the intelligent material & structure. Establishing the relationship between the transferring stress and the controlling signal, namely the transferring and actuating equation, is a key step to analyze the actuating performance of the PCE. Based on the method of the shear lag theory, the procedure of the stress transferring is analyzed and the transferring and actuating model is established in this paper. Some measurements for PCE(PZT5) actuating the Glass Fiber/Epoxy laminate have been done to verify the model established. The experimental results show that the theoretical model agrees well with the practice. Finally, the effect of the main factors on PCE actuating the laminate is studied by using the experimental and theoretical results.
文摘Three kinds of landing gear actuating cylinder inner-locks of an aircrafi ： block ring lock, steel ball lock, finger lock are taken as the study object based on the mechanics, geometry, materials, technology etc and some aircrafi typical inner-lock practical applications. The working principle of the three typical actuating cylinder innerlocks are expounded and the stress and workmanship requirements of the three inner-lock core components are analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of different kinds are compared and the characteristics and applications of the three inner-locks investigated. The research and analysis results provide valuable information for the actuating cylinder inner-lock of the aircraft landing gear design.
文摘In this paper the conception of smart materials and structures is firstly combined with research of air bag,and the main theory of self adapting cushioning of intelligent air bag is expatiated.The intelligent venting structure is the main part affecting the cushioning result.Electrostrictive material was found having big force,high response speed and wide linearity,and it is fit to utilize in intelligent venting structure. The characteristic of the dynamic response and cushioning actuating of an electrostrictive stack actuator is analyzed,and the result of the computer simulation of the fuzzy control to intelligent venting structure is given.It is concluded that intelligent venting structure has good actuating characteristic and can satisfy the need of intelligent air bag.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China with grant numbers 91441123,51777214the Open Project of Science and Technology on Scramjet Laboratory with grant number CG-2014-05-118 under the technical monitor of program manager Dr Zhiyong Lin
文摘The influence of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge was studied in detail.A loose coupling method was used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogen–oxygen mixture in a detonation tube under different actuating voltage amplitudes and discharge gap sizes.Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process assisted by the plasma were analyzed.It was found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle keep unchanged as changing the two discharge operating parameters.However,the adoption of a higher actuating voltage leads to a higher active species concentration within the discharge zone,and atom H is the most sensitive to the variations of the actuating voltage amplitude among the given species.Adopting a larger discharge gap results in a lower concentration of the active species,and all species have the same sensitivity to the variations of the gap.With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube,the corresponding deflagration to detonation transition（DDT） time and distance become slightly longer when a higher actuating voltage is chosen.The acceleration effect of plasma is more prominent with a smaller discharge gap,and the benefit builds gradually throughout the DDT process.Generally,these two control parameters have little effect on the amplitude of the flow field parameters,and they do not alter the combustion degree within the reaction zone.
基金Project supported by the Open Project of Science and Technology on Scramjet Laboratory,China(Grant No.CG-2014-05-118)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.91441123)
文摘Aiming at studying the influence of actuating frequency on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge, a loosely coupled method is used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogenoxygen mixture in a detonation tube at different actuating frequencies. Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process which is assisted by the plasma are analyzed. It is found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle are not changed by the actuating frequency. However, the concentration of every species decreases as the actuating frequency rises, and atom O is the most sensitive to this variation, which is related to the decrease of discharge power. With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube, the deflagration-todetonation transition（DDT） time and distance both increase as the actuating frequency rises, but the degree of effect on DDT development during flow field evolution is erratic. Generally, the actuating frequency affects none of the amplitude value of the pressure, temperature, species concentration of the flow field, and the combustion degree within the reaction zone.
文摘The paper addresses the designs of a caudal peduncle actuator, which is able to furnish a thrust for swimming of a robotic fish. The caudal peduncle actuator is based on concepts of ferromagnetic shape memory alloy （FSMA） composite and hybrid mechanism that can provide a fast response and a strong thrust. The caudal peduncle actuator was inspired by Scomber Scombrus which utilises thunniform mode swimming, which is the most efficient locomotion mode evolved in the aquatic environment, where the thrust is generated by the lift-based method, allowing high cruising speeds to be maintained for a long period of time. The morphology of an average size Scomber Scombrus （length in 310 mm） was investigated, and a 1：1 scale caudal peduncle actuator prototype was modelled and fabricated. The propulsive wave characteristics of the fish at steady speeds were employed as initial design objectives. Some key design parameters are investigated, i.e. aspect ratio （AR） （AR = 3.49）, Reynolds number （Re = 429 649）, reduced frequency （σ = 1.03）, Strouhal number （St = 0.306） and the maximum strain of the bent tail was estimated at ε = 1.11% which is in the range of superelasticity. The experimental test of the actuator was carried out in a water tank. By applying 7 V and 2.5 A, the actuator can reach the tip-to-tip rotational angle of 85° at 4 Hz.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51105110,51475107)Shenzhen Basic Research Program(Grant No.JCYJ20170811160440239)
文摘In micro-electrochemical machining(μECM), material dissolution takes place at very close vicinity of tool electrode due to localization of electric field. Controlling the gap between tool electrode and workpiece is the key to μECM. Therefore, a new method is proposed to solve a variety of problems in small gap control. In the present context, experiments were carried out with an indigenously developed setup to fabricate cylindrical arrays. During the machining process, the flat electrode bends due to electrostatic force in pulse on-time, which self-adaptively narrows the gap between the electrode and the workpiece. The workpiece material will be removed once the gap meets the processing condition. Therefore, this method has advantages of reducing dependence on high precision machine tools and of avoiding complex servo control. The flat electrode quickly restores to its original condition when it is in pulse off-time, making the gap much larger than that in traditional electrochemical machining(ECM). The large gap benefits debris removing, which improves the machining accuracy. The influence of different experimental parameters on accuracy and efficiency during the machining process has been investigated. It is observed that with the increase in applied voltage or concentration of electrolyte, the material removal rate and the process gap both increase. The detailed analysis of the experimental results is described in this paper.
基金the Key Research and Development Program of the Science and Technology Bureau of Ningbo City(Grant No.2023Z082)supported by the Major scientific and technologic project of Fuzhou Science and Technology Project Plan(No.2022-ZD-007)+2 种基金by the Jiangxi Provincial Administration for Market Regulation(No.GSJK202221)by the Natural Science Foundation Project of Shanghai“science and technology innovation action plan”(Nos.20ZR1400200 and 22ZR1400500)supported by Project(No.Grant52173218)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,and funded by Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Advanced Textiles.
文摘Multi-functional smart textiles are receiving a lot of attention for their tremendous application devel-opment in the fields of personal thermal management,artificial muscle,electronic skin,and human-machine interaction.For the complex use of many different smart textiles,designing a multifunctional textile that integrates personal thermal management,smart sensing,and flexible actuating is still a great challenge.Here,we decorated MXene on elastic fabrics by simple dip-coating and asymmetric Ecoflex encapsulation protocol to obtain electrical/optical dual-energy-driven wearable heaters with highly re-sponsive actuating and strain-sensing performance.The MXene fabric-based heaters(MFHs)have high efficiency of Joule heating(Steady state temperature of 116.7℃ at 12 V)and photothermal conversion performance(180.3℃ in 60 s under the near infrared lamp irradiation,up to 57.5℃ under 600 W m^(-2) simulated solar irradiation).Benefiting from high electrical/optical dual-energy conversion efficiency,MFH has a fast photothermal driving effect(bending angle up to 360°in 5 s)due to the different curvature of thermal expansion on both sides of the fabric.Interestingly,MFH has the capability to monitor human strain(such as muscle and joint movements).Based on the above excellent performance,we finally be-lieve that the MFHs have broad application prospects in the fields of all-weather body heat management,health monitoring,thermal health care,and thermal robotics.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Development Fund of Macao SAR(File No.0117/2024/AMJ)the University of Macao(MYRGGRG2023-00041-FST-UMDF,MYRG-GRG2024-00121-FST-UMDF,MYRGCRG2024-00014-FST-ICI).
文摘Achieving autonomously responding to external stimuli and providing real-time feedback on their motion state are key challenges in soft robotics.Herein,we propose an asymmetric three-layer hydrogel muscle with integrated sensing and actuating performances.The actuating layer,made of p(NIPAm-HEMA),features an open pore structure,enabling it to achieve 58%volume shrinkage in just 8 s.The customizable heater allows for efficient programmable deformation of the actuating layer.A strain-responsive hydrogel layer,with a linear response of up to 50%strain,is designed to sense the deformation process.Leveraging these actuating and sensing capabilities,we develop an integrated hydrogel muscle that can recognize lifted objects with various weights or grasped objects of different sizes.Furthermore,we demonstrate a self-crawling robot to showcase the application potential of the hydrogel muscle for soft robots working in aquatic environments.This robot,featuring a modular distributed sensing and actuating layer,can autonomously move forward under closed-loop control based on self-detected resistance signals.The strategy of modular distributed stimuli-responsive sensing and actuating materials offers unprecedented capabilities for creating smart and multifunctional soft robotics.
基金the Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum,Beijing(No.2462019BJRC007)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22178384).
文摘Despite enormous efforts in actuators,most researches are only limited to various actuation behaviors and demonstrations of soft materials.It has not yet been reported to capture and monitor its movement status in an invisible environment.Therefore,it is of great significance to develop a self-sensing and self-actuating dual-function hydrogel actuator system to realize real-time monitoring.Here,we report a bifunctional hydrogel system with self-actuating and self-monitoring abilities,which combines the functions of photothermal actuation and electrical resistance sensing into a single material.The bilayer tough conductive hydrogel synthesized by unconventional complementary concentration recombination and cryogenic freezing technique presents a dense conductive network and high-porosity structure,achieving high toughness at 190.3 kPa of tensile strength,high stretchability(164.3%strain),and the toughness dramatically(1,471.4 kJ·m^(−3)).The working mechanism of the monitoring and self-sensing system is accomplished through the integrated monitoring device of surface temperature–bending angle–electron current,to solve the problem of not apperceiving actuator motion state when encountering obstacles in an invisible environment.We demonstrated for the first time a photothermal actuator’s motion of a football player and goalkeeper to finish the penalty and a soft actuator hand,which can achieve the action of sticking to grab and release under photo-thermal actuation.When connected to the control closed circuit,the actuator realized closed-loop monitoring and sensing feedback.The development of bifunctional hydrogel systems may bring new opportunities and ideas in the fields of material science,circuit technology,sensors,and mechanical engineering.
基金Supported by the Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Control Theory and Intelligent Systems (ZDSYS20220330161800001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (62303207)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2024A1515010725)。
文摘This paper studies cooperative robust parallel operation of multiple actuators over an undirected communication graph.The plant is modeled as an uncertain linear system,and the actuators are linear and identical.Based on the internal model principle,a distributed dynamic output feedback control law is proposed to achieve both robust output regulation of the closed-loop system and plant input sharing among the actuators.A practical example of five motors cooperatively driving an uncertain shaft under an external load torque is presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control law.
基金Financial support from the program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.52475059)Major Program of National Natural Science Founda-tion of China(NSFC)for Basic Theory and Key Technology of Tri-Co Robots(92248301)+3 种基金the Postdoctoral Research Foundation of China(No.2024M751167)the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST(2023QNRC001)Jiangsu Province Natural Science Foundation(No.BK20240155)supported by the Nano&Material Technology Development Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF),funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT(RS2024-00406534,RS-2025-25442809)。
文摘Soft actuators,capable of producing mechanical work in response to external stimuli,have potential applications in robotics and exoskeletons.However,they face major challenges related to energy supply,especially in long-distance and miniaturized environments.Fuel-driven actuators offer a promising solution by enabling the conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy,supporting selfsustaining operations.Chemical energy from fuel can be converted into mechanical energy either directly or indirectly through methods such as electron transfer-induced charge injection,structural changes,fuel-to-electricity conversion,fuel combustioninduced heat,or fuel-induced pneumatic actuation.This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in fuel-powered actuators,covering their fundamental principles,advancements,and challenges.It concludes with an outlook for miniaturized and autonomous robots,highlighting the great potential of integrating fuel-powered actuators.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52503154)Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Nos.ZR2022MB034 and ZR2025QC512)。
文摘Azobenzene-based polymer actuators show great promise for photoactuation owing to their unique photoisomerization behavior and tailorable molecular programmability.However,conventional systems are limited by inadequate mechanical robustness,self-healing,and recyclability,hindering their practical implementation.Herein,we present a high-performance azobenzene-functionalized polyurethane(AzoPU)elastomer actuator designed via molecular engineering of photoactive azobenzene moieties and dynamic disulfide bonds.AzoPU exhibits exceptional mechanical properties with retained performance after multiple reshaping cycles,enabled by well-engineered hard-soft segments and synergistic stress dissipation from weak covalent bonds/hierarchical hydrogen bonds.It achieves over 93%self-healing efficiency at room temperature owing to the synergistic interplay of disulfide bonds in the polymer backbone and intermolecular hydrogen bonds.Furthermore,it demonstrates remarkable light-triggered actuation behavior,achieving a phototropic bending angle exceeding 180°toward the light source within 45 s.To showcase its practical potential,proof-of-concept photoactuated devices with flower-,hook-,and gripper-like and local-orientation processed strip-shaped structures were fabricated,which exhibited rapid and reversible light-triggered deformation.This study proposes a novel strategy for the development of intelligent polymeric materials that integrate light responsiveness,self-healing,and recyclability,thus holding great promise for applications in flexible electronics,smart actuators,and sustainable functional materials.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.61903157)the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Robotics(Grand No.2024-O08).
文摘Microrobotic systems are emerging as transformative technology for minimally invasive medicine,driven by innovations in actuation mechanisms,advanced fabrication paradigms,and multifunctional system integration.This comprehensive review analyzes the evolution of microrobotic technologies through three critical dimensions:(1)actuation modalities,including magnetic,optical,acoustic,chemical,and biological actuation,with a focus on the synergistic advantages of hybrid actuation strategies in complex internal physiological environments;(2)Fabrication methods cover technolo-gies such as photolithography,microinjection molding,self-assembly,and 3D printing,emphasizing innovative strategies involving multi-technology integration and collaborative manufacturing of bio/non-bio hybrid materials;(3)Internal phys-iological applications involve disease diagnosis,targeted drug delivery,minimally invasive surgery,tissue engineering,and cell manipulation,highlighting the broad prospects of microrobots in precision medicine.Despite remarkable progress,critical challenges remain,including low actuation efficiency,as seen in acoustic systems,limited biocompatibility,exem-plified by the toxicity of hydrogen peroxide in chemical actuation,delayed clinical translation,and other related challenges that must be addressed to advance the field.
基金Open access funding provided by The Science,Technology&Innovation Funding Authority(STDF)in cooperation with The Egyptian Knowledge Bank(EKB).
文摘Soft robotic manipulators represent a rapidly evolving field characterized by inherent compliance,adaptability,and safe interactions within unstructured environments.Over the past decade(2015-2025),significant advancements have trans-formed their capabilities through novel designs inspired by biological systems,advanced modeling frameworks,sophisti-cated control strategies,and integration into diverse real-world applications.Recent innovations in multifunctional mate-rials and emerging actuation technologies have markedly expanded manipulator performance,reliability,and dexterity.Concurrently,developments in modeling have progressed from simplified geometric methods toward highly accurate physics-based and hybrid data-driven approaches,substantially improving real-time prediction and controllability.Coupled with these developments,adaptive and robust control strategies-including learning-based techniques-have enabled unprec-edented autonomy and precision in challenging application domains such as Minimally Invasive Surgery(MIS),precision agriculture,deep-sea exploration,disaster recovery,and space missions.Despite these remarkable strides,key challenges remain,notably regarding scalability,long-term material durability,robust integrated sensing,and standardized evaluation procedures.This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advances,critically evaluates state-of-the-art methodologies,and systematically identifies existing gaps to provide a clear roadmap and targeted research directions,guiding future developments toward the broader adoption and optimal utilization of soft robotic manipulators.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52405267)the Jiangxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Grant Nos.20242BAB25257,20232BAB214050)+1 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2024M760877)the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province(Grant No.2025JJ60369)。
文摘Soft pneumatic structures are promising for the actuation of soft machines,and substantial advances have occurred in their innovative design and functional verification.However,most pneumatic structures lack self-sensing abilities,resulting in a lack of motion state feedback and difficulty in achieving real-time closed-loop control.Herein,a soft pneumatic composite structure(SPCS)with integrated actuation and sensing abilities is developed by combining a bellows-shaped magnetic elastomer and a wire structure.The SPCS can generate an induced voltage under deformation.The SPCS mechanical and magnetoelectric characteristics are studied comprehensively.The SPCS experimental maximum contraction is 27 mm,which is close to the theoretical and numerical results.When the SPCS is actuated by a pressure of-40 kPa,it will generate a peak induced voltage of 1.01 mV.With the increase in magnetic powder content and turns of the spiral wire,the induced voltage also increases.Additionally,two SPCSs are used to develop a self-sensing actuator,which can accurately perceive the bending direction and recognize the magnitude and direction of external force.A self-sensing soft gripper is developed,which can sense the grasping status and predict the width of grasped objects.Furthermore,a smart vehicle detection system composed of two SPCSs is proposed,which can detect the number,speed,and weight of passing vehicles.Consequently,the SPCS has numerous potential applications in soft sensors and self-sensing intelligent soft machines.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52373181 and 52173164)the Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province(20250102120JC and 20230101038JC)+1 种基金the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(GZB20240259)the Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2024M761121 and 2025T180139).
文摘The growing demand for personalized health care,smart wearables,and advanced environmental monitoring has spurred the development of multifunctional materials that combine flexibility,environmental adaptability,and diverse functionalities.However,conventional materials often failed to integrate these attributes simultaneously,hindering their applicability in next-generation technologies.Here,we present an organic-inorganic hybrid crystalline material with a unique sandwich-like architecture,in which a flexible organic crystal core is encased by reduced graphene oxide(rGO)and thermoplastic polyurethane(TPU).This strategic integration endows the material with fluorescence,cryogenic flexibility,and electrical conductivity,while also enabling dual sensing and actuation capabilities.The rGO layer facilitates real-time humidity(25-90%RH)and temperature(25-180℃)sensing through environmental interactions,whereas the differential thermal expansion between TPU and the flexible crystal core drives efficient photothermal actuation at-150℃for advanced thermal regulation.The hybrid material exhibits stable performance under extreme conditions,making it a promising candidate for biomedical monitoring,flexible electronics,and energy applications.This work establishes hybrid crystalline materials as versatile and scalable platforms for addressing complex technological demands,paving the way for their application in next-generation multifunctional devices.
基金The Central Government Guides Local Foundation for Science and Technology Development(Grant No.YDZJSX2024B004).
文摘The soft actuator is characterized by high safety,flexibility,and adaptability.It is capable of both active and passive defor-mations.This paper presents a discrete degree of freedom(DOF)method for soft actuators to reveal DOF characteristics.The method draws on the superposition mechanism of the deformation characteristics of the sarcomere in the skeletal muscles of living organisms.Firstly,the multi-DOF deformation characteristics of the soft actuator are discretized into superimposed combinations of single-DOF micro-units.Then,the soft actuator was determined to contain deformation characteristics such as extension-contraction,bending,and twisting.Eighteen types of micro-units with basic deforma-tion characteristics were obtained depending on the axis and orientation.Further,the mapping relationship between the combination of micro-units and the motion characteristics of the soft actuator based on the GF set theory was established.Finally,an active-passive DOF co-structured soft actuator(APCSA)was developed.The graphical approach analyzes the experimental results,and it can be concluded that active and passive DOFs can coexist in the composite deformation of the soft actuator.
