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
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
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
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
Smart elastomers have attracted great interest due to their excellent adaptability to changing environments and affinity to living organisms,characterized by their ability to undergo programmable deformations or prope...Smart elastomers have attracted great interest due to their excellent adaptability to changing environments and affinity to living organisms,characterized by their ability to undergo programmable deformations or property changes in response to external stimuli(e.g.,heat,light,pH,or electric/magnetic fields).They exhibit huge potential to drive the innovation of soft actuators,robotics,biomedical devices,and wearable electronics.This special issue of Chinese Journal of Polymer Science(CJPS)is dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge advancements in liquid crystal elastomers,hydrogels and the related soft actuators,with a focus on the design,synthesis,characterization,and application of stimuli-responsive soft elastomers and their integration into functional actuation systems.展开更多
The development of actuators based on ionic polymers as soft robotics,artificial muscles,and sensors is currently considered one of the most urgent topics.They are lightweight materials,in addition to their high effic...The development of actuators based on ionic polymers as soft robotics,artificial muscles,and sensors is currently considered one of the most urgent topics.They are lightweight materials,in addition to their high efficiency,and they can be controlled by a low power source.Nevertheless,the most popular ionic polymers are derived from fossil-based resources.Hence,it is now deemed crucial to produce these actuators using sustainable materials.In this review,the use of ionic polymeric materials as actuators is reviewed through the emphasis on their role in the domain of renewablematerials.The reviewencompasses recent advancements inmaterial formulation and performance enhancement,alongside a comparative analysis with conventional actuator systems.It was found that renewable polymeric actuators based on ionic gels and conductive polymers are easier to prepare compared to ionic polymermetal composites.In addition,the proportion of actuator manufacturing utilizing renewable materials rose to 90%,particularly for ion gel actuators,which was related to the possibility of using renewable polymers as ionic or conductive substances.Moreover,the possible improvements in biopolymeric actuators will experience an annual rise of at least 10%over the next decade,correlating with the growth of their market,which aligns with the worldwide goal of reducing global warming.Additionally,compared to fossil-derived polymers,the decomposition rate of renewable materials reaches 100%,while biodegradable fossil-based substances can exceed 60%within several weeks.Ultimately,this review aims to elucidate the potential of ionic polymeric materials as a viable and sustainable solution for future actuator technologies.展开更多
Flexible underwater vehicles with high maneuverability,high efficiency,high speed,and low disturbance have shown great application potential and research significance in underwater engineering,ocean exploration,scient...Flexible underwater vehicles with high maneuverability,high efficiency,high speed,and low disturbance have shown great application potential and research significance in underwater engineering,ocean exploration,scientific investigation and other fields.The research and development of flexible stimulus-responsive actuators is key to the development of high-performance underwater vehicles.At present,the main drive methods for underwater devices include electric drive,magnetic drive,light drive,thermal drive,and chemical drive.In this work,the research progress of stimuli-responsive actuators in water environment is reviewed from the stimuli-responsive patterns,functional design,fabrication methods,and applications in water environment.Firstly,the actuation principles and characteristics of electro-responsive,magnetic-responsive,photo-responsive,thermo-responsive actuators,and chemically responsive actuators are reviewed.Subsequently,several design requirements for the desired flexible actuators are introduced.After that,the common fabrication methods are summarized.The typical application of the stimuli-responsive actuator in the water environment is further discussed in combination with the multi-stimuli-responsive characteristics.Finally,the challenges faced by the application of stimuli-responsive actuators in the water environment are analyzed,and the corresponding viewpoints are presented.This review offers guidance for designing and preparing stimulus-responsive actuators and outlines directions for further development in fields such as ocean energy exploration and surface reconnaissance.展开更多
Chassis-by-wire technology has gained significant attention,with the scope of chassis domain control expanding from traditional two-dimensional plane motion control to encompass three-dimensional space motion control....Chassis-by-wire technology has gained significant attention,with the scope of chassis domain control expanding from traditional two-dimensional plane motion control to encompass three-dimensional space motion control.Modern chassis-by-wire systems manage an increasing number of heterogeneous chassis execution systems,including distributed drive,all-wheel drive(AWD),brake-by-wire(BBW),steer-by-wire(SBW),rear-wheel steering(RWS),active stabilizer bar(ASB)and active suspension system(ASS),greatly enhancing the controllable degrees of freedom compared to conventional chassis configurations.To advance research in chassis domain control,it is essential to understand how these heterogeneous execution systems influence vehicle dynamics.This paper focuses on the modeling and analysis of the lateral,longitudinal,and vertical chassis control and execution systems,-as well as their impact on vehicle lateral motion.Using a vehicle simulation platform,both the vehicle dynamics model and the individual dynamics models of each execution system were developed to analyze the influence of these systems on lateral dynamics.Additionally,a hierarchical control architecture was designed to control the vehicle’s lateral stability.The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme was demonstrated and validated through hardware-in-the-loop(HIL)tests and real-world vehicle testing.展开更多
Soft actuators and stimuli responsive materials are highlighted in the research field for their enormous potential in transit tasks,sensing,and biomedical devices,particularly the magnetic responsive soft actu-ators d...Soft actuators and stimuli responsive materials are highlighted in the research field for their enormous potential in transit tasks,sensing,and biomedical devices,particularly the magnetic responsive soft actu-ators driven by magnetic force remotely.Nevertheless,the further study of magnetic responsive actuators with complex three-dimensional geometries and multiple functions is still limited by uncomplicated de-sign and flexible locomotion.This work provides a novel scheme integrating the origami method and modular designs,which defines the inner properties of magnetic material,extending the functions of magnetic responsive actuators with various modules.The directions of the inner magnetic moments can be programmed and the deformation degrees can be regulated by this approach,which promotes the fabrication of complicated soft actuators with multiple functions by integrating with modular designs.Especially,a movable actuator with various sensing modulus is designed by the origami method,which can perform the sensing application to external ultra-violet(UV),heat,and pH stimuli.Moreover,a mi-croneedle modular actuator which can be controlled wirelessly by a magnetic field was demonstrated for the potential application in the biomedical field.This proposed scheme for engineering magnetic respon-sive material with modular designs has shown great potential to improve the feasibility,versatility,and multiple functionalities of soft actuators.展开更多
Liquid crystal elastomers(LCEs)exhibit exceptional reversible deformation and unique physical properties owing to their order-disorder phase transition under external stimuli.Among these deformations,helical structure...Liquid crystal elastomers(LCEs)exhibit exceptional reversible deformation and unique physical properties owing to their order-disorder phase transition under external stimuli.Among these deformations,helical structures have attracted attention owing to their distinctive configurations and promising applications in biomimetics and microelectronics.However,the helical deformation behavior of fiber actuators is critically influenced by their morphologies and alignments;yet,the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.Through a two-step azaMichael addition reaction and direct ink writing(DIW)4D printing technology,fiber-based LCE actuators with a core-sheath alignment structure were fabricated and exhibited reversible helical deformation upon heating.By adjusting the printing parameters,the filament number,width,thickness,and core-sheath structure of the fiber actuators can be precisely controlled,resulting in deformation behaviors,such as contraction,bending,and helical twisting.Finite element simulations were performed to investigate the deformation behaviors of the fiber actuators,providing insights into the variations in stress and strain during the shape-changing process,which can be used to explain the shape-morphing mechanism.These findings demonstrate that the precise tuning of printing parameters enables the controllable construction of LCE actuator morphology and customization of their functional properties,paving the way for advanced applications in smart fabrics,biomedical engineering,and flexible electronics.展开更多
A theoretical analysis regarding active vibration control of rotating machines with current-controlled electrodynamic actuators between machine feet and steel frame foundation and with velocity feedback of the machine...A theoretical analysis regarding active vibration control of rotating machines with current-controlled electrodynamic actuators between machine feet and steel frame foundation and with velocity feedback of the machine feet vibrations is presented.First,a generalized mathematical formulation is derived based on a state-space description which can be used for different kinds of models(1D,2D,and 3D models).It is shown that under special boundary conditions,the control parameters can be directly implemented into the stiffness and damping matrices of the system.Based on the generalized mathematical formulation,an example of a rotating machine—described by a 2D model—with journal bearings,flexible rotor,current-controlled electrodynamic actuators,steel frame foundation,and velocity feedback of the machine feet vibrations is presented where the effectiveness of the described active vibration control system is demonstrated.展开更多
Photonic fibrous soft actuators that can modulate light and produce responsive deformation would have broad technological implications in areas,ranging from smart textiles and intelligent artificial muscles to medical...Photonic fibrous soft actuators that can modulate light and produce responsive deformation would have broad technological implications in areas,ranging from smart textiles and intelligent artificial muscles to medical devices.However,creating such multifunctional soft actuators has proved tremendously challenging.Here,we report novel cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer(CLCE)based photonic fibrous soft actuators(PFSAs).CLCE can serve as chiral photonic soft active material and allow for multiresponse in shapes and colors.We leveraged a tubularmold-based processing technology to prepare fibrous CLCE actuators,and the prepared actuators exhibit the capabilities to dynamically switch structural colors and geometrical shapes by mechanical,temperature,or light stimuli.CLCE-based PFSAs demonstrate diverse functionalities,including visual weight feedback,optically driven object manipulation,and light driven locomotion.It is anticipated that our PFSAs would offer many new possibilities for developing advanced soft actuators.展开更多
MXene(Ti3C2Tx)is known for its excellent hydrophilicity,electrical conductivity,and dispersibility.It is a promising candidate for the fabrication of moisture-responsive actuators due to the strong interaction between...MXene(Ti3C2Tx)is known for its excellent hydrophilicity,electrical conductivity,and dispersibility.It is a promising candidate for the fabrication of moisture-responsive actuators due to the strong interaction between MXene sheets and water molecules.Inspired by natural organisms,a variety of moisture-actuated soft robots have been successfully developed through the systematic integration of MXene-based actuators.This minireview summarizes recent advances in the preparation and applications of MXene-based moisture-responsive actuators.The hydrophilic properties of MXene,along with design principles,working mechanisms,current progress,and applications of MXenebased actuators,are discussed.The future prospects and developmental directions of MXene-based moisture-responsive actuators are put forward,providing novel insights for their further advancement in the realm of automatable smart devices.展开更多
Minimally invasive interventional surgery techniques using guidewire-based catheters are widely adopted to treat vascular diseases.However,commonly used interventional catheters lack active guidance.The use of guidewi...Minimally invasive interventional surgery techniques using guidewire-based catheters are widely adopted to treat vascular diseases.However,commonly used interventional catheters lack active guidance.The use of guidewires is associated with risks,including increased exposure to X-rays and potential vascular damage during withdrawal from complex vessels.Herein,we developed sub-millimeter microtubular ionic actuators(0.6-0.8 mm outer diameter)integrated into steerable interventional catheters.These actuators can generate large deformations(>10 mm)under 7 V direct current due to enhanced ion migration,enabling precise navigation without the need for guidewires.The designed catheters achieved active bending and accurate positioning in complex arterial vascular branches within a human model.They were also able to navigate within different arterial locations(e.g.,the innominate,subclavian,and carotid arteries)in pigs without the use of guidewires,and even access the ventricle and deliver contrast medium,indicating their great potential for future endovascular therapy.展开更多
As a kind of ionic artificial muscle material,Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites(IPMCs)have the advantages of a low drive current,light weight,and significant flexibility.IPMCs are widely used in the fields of biomedicine...As a kind of ionic artificial muscle material,Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites(IPMCs)have the advantages of a low drive current,light weight,and significant flexibility.IPMCs are widely used in the fields of biomedicine,soft robots,etc.However,the displacement and blocking force of the traditional sheet-type Nafion-IPMC need to be improved,and it has the limitation of unidirectional actuation.In this paper,a new type of short side chain Aquivion material is used as the polymer in the IPMC.The cylindrical IPMC is prepared by extrusion technology to improve its actuation performance and realize multi-degree-of-freedom motion.In comparison to the traditional Nafion-IPMC,the ion exchange capacity,specific capacitance,and conductivity of Aquivion-IPMC are improved by 28%,27%,and 32%,respectively,and the displacement and blocking force are improved by 57%and 25%,respectively.The cylindrical actuators can be deflected in eight directions.This indicates that Aquivion,as a polymer membrane for IPMC,holds significant application potential.By designing a cylindrical IPMC electrode distribution,the multi-degree-of-freedom deflection of IPMC can be realized.展开更多
Soft underwater swimming robots driven by smart materials show unique advantages in ocean exploration,such as low noise,high flexibility and good environmental interaction ability.The dielectric elastomer(DE),as a new...Soft underwater swimming robots driven by smart materials show unique advantages in ocean exploration,such as low noise,high flexibility and good environmental interaction ability.The dielectric elastomer(DE),as a new kind of soft intelligent material,has the characteristics of a low elastic modulus,large deformation range,high energy density and fast response speed.DE actuator(DEA)drive systems use the deformation characteristics of dielectric materials to drive the mechanical system,which has become a research hotspot in the field of soft robots.In this paper,a tubular actuator based on DEs is designed and its performance is studied.Firstly,the structure and driving process of a DEA are described,and a tubular DEA is designed.Studying the elongation ratio of the DEA pre-stretching shows that when the axial elongation ratio is 3 times and the circumferential elongation ratio is 4 times,the maximum deformation effect can be obtained under voltage excitation.At a voltage of 6.0 k V,a single pipe section DEA achieves a bending angle of 25.9°and a driving force of 73.8 m N.Secondly,the effect of the DEA series on the bending angle and response characteristics is studied.The experimental results show that the maximum bending angle of the three joint actuators in series can reach 59.3°under6.0 k V voltage,which significantly improves the overall bending performance.In addition,the truncation frequency of the drive module after the series is increased to 0.62 Hz,showing better frequency response capability.The excellent performance of the pipe joint actuator in its bending angle,response characteristic and driving force is verified.展开更多
With the advancement of more electric aircraft(MEA)technology,the application of electro-hydrostatic actuators(EHAs)in aircraft actuation systems has become increasingly prevalent.This paper focuses on the modeling an...With the advancement of more electric aircraft(MEA)technology,the application of electro-hydrostatic actuators(EHAs)in aircraft actuation systems has become increasingly prevalent.This paper focuses on the modeling and mode switching analysis of EHA used in the primary flight control actuation systems of large aircraft,addressing the challenges associated with mode switching.First,we analyze the functional architecture and operational characteristics of multi-mode EHA,and sumarize the operating modes and implementation methods.Based on the EHA system architecture,we then develop a theoretical mathematical model and a simulation model.Using the simulation model,we analyze the performance of the EHA during normal operation.Finally,the performance of the EHA during mode switching under various functional switching scenarios is investigated.The results indicate that the EHA meets the performance requirements in terms of accuracy,bandwidth,and load capacity.Additionally,the hydraulic cylinder operates smoothly during the EHA mode switching,and the response time for switching between different modes is less than the specified threshold.These findings validate the system performance of multi-mode EHA,which helps to improve the reliability of EHA and the safety of aircraft flight control systems.展开更多
The oscillation of large space structure(LSS)can be easily induced because of its low vibration frequency.The coupling effect between LSS vibration control and attitude control can significantly reduce the overall per...The oscillation of large space structure(LSS)can be easily induced because of its low vibration frequency.The coupling effect between LSS vibration control and attitude control can significantly reduce the overall performance of the control system,especially when the scale of flexible structure increases.This paper proposes an optimal placement method of piezoelectric stack actuators(PSAs)network which reduces the coupling effect between attitude and vibration control system.First,a spacecraft with a honeycomb-shaped telescope is designed for a resolution-critical imaging scenario.The coupling dynamics of the spacecraft is established using finite element method(FEM)and floating frame of reference formulation(FFRF).Second,a coupling-effect-reducing optimal placement criterion for PSAs based on coupling-matrix enhanced Gramian is designed to reduce the coupling effect excitation while balancing controllability.Additionally,a laddered multi-layered optimizing scheme is established to increase the speed and accuracy when solving the gigantic discrete optimization problem.Finally,the effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated through numerical simulation.展开更多
Cyber-physical systems(CPSs)are increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to their integral connection between cyberspace and the physical world,which is augmented by Internet connectivity.This vulnerability necess...Cyber-physical systems(CPSs)are increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to their integral connection between cyberspace and the physical world,which is augmented by Internet connectivity.This vulnerability necessitates a heightened focus on developing resilient control mechanisms for CPSs.However,current observer-based active compensation resilient controllers exhibit poor performance against stealthy deception attacks(SDAs)due to the difficulty in accurately reconstructing system states because of the stealthy nature of these attacks.Moreover,some non-active compensation approaches are insufficient when there is a complete loss of actuator control authority.To address these issues,we introduce a novel learning-based passive resilient controller(LPRC).Our approach,unlike observer-based state reconstruction,shows enhanced effectiveness in countering SDAs.We developed a safety state set,represented by an ellipsoid,to ensure CPS stability under SDA conditions,maintaining system trajectories within this set.Additionally,by employing deep reinforcement learning(DRL),the LPRC acquires the capacity to adapt and diverse evolving attack strategies.To empirically substantiate our methodology,various attack methods were compared with current passive and active compensation resilient control methods to evaluate their performance.展开更多
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.
文摘Smart elastomers have attracted great interest due to their excellent adaptability to changing environments and affinity to living organisms,characterized by their ability to undergo programmable deformations or property changes in response to external stimuli(e.g.,heat,light,pH,or electric/magnetic fields).They exhibit huge potential to drive the innovation of soft actuators,robotics,biomedical devices,and wearable electronics.This special issue of Chinese Journal of Polymer Science(CJPS)is dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge advancements in liquid crystal elastomers,hydrogels and the related soft actuators,with a focus on the design,synthesis,characterization,and application of stimuli-responsive soft elastomers and their integration into functional actuation systems.
基金funded by the Russian Science Foundation(RSF),grantNo.24-23-00558,https://rscf.ru/en/project/24-23-00558/(accessed on 04 February 2025).
文摘The development of actuators based on ionic polymers as soft robotics,artificial muscles,and sensors is currently considered one of the most urgent topics.They are lightweight materials,in addition to their high efficiency,and they can be controlled by a low power source.Nevertheless,the most popular ionic polymers are derived from fossil-based resources.Hence,it is now deemed crucial to produce these actuators using sustainable materials.In this review,the use of ionic polymeric materials as actuators is reviewed through the emphasis on their role in the domain of renewablematerials.The reviewencompasses recent advancements inmaterial formulation and performance enhancement,alongside a comparative analysis with conventional actuator systems.It was found that renewable polymeric actuators based on ionic gels and conductive polymers are easier to prepare compared to ionic polymermetal composites.In addition,the proportion of actuator manufacturing utilizing renewable materials rose to 90%,particularly for ion gel actuators,which was related to the possibility of using renewable polymers as ionic or conductive substances.Moreover,the possible improvements in biopolymeric actuators will experience an annual rise of at least 10%over the next decade,correlating with the growth of their market,which aligns with the worldwide goal of reducing global warming.Additionally,compared to fossil-derived polymers,the decomposition rate of renewable materials reaches 100%,while biodegradable fossil-based substances can exceed 60%within several weeks.Ultimately,this review aims to elucidate the potential of ionic polymeric materials as a viable and sustainable solution for future actuator technologies.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFB4703401)the Ministry of Education Joint Fund(8091B032250)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(B240205045)。
文摘Flexible underwater vehicles with high maneuverability,high efficiency,high speed,and low disturbance have shown great application potential and research significance in underwater engineering,ocean exploration,scientific investigation and other fields.The research and development of flexible stimulus-responsive actuators is key to the development of high-performance underwater vehicles.At present,the main drive methods for underwater devices include electric drive,magnetic drive,light drive,thermal drive,and chemical drive.In this work,the research progress of stimuli-responsive actuators in water environment is reviewed from the stimuli-responsive patterns,functional design,fabrication methods,and applications in water environment.Firstly,the actuation principles and characteristics of electro-responsive,magnetic-responsive,photo-responsive,thermo-responsive actuators,and chemically responsive actuators are reviewed.Subsequently,several design requirements for the desired flexible actuators are introduced.After that,the common fabrication methods are summarized.The typical application of the stimuli-responsive actuator in the water environment is further discussed in combination with the multi-stimuli-responsive characteristics.Finally,the challenges faced by the application of stimuli-responsive actuators in the water environment are analyzed,and the corresponding viewpoints are presented.This review offers guidance for designing and preparing stimulus-responsive actuators and outlines directions for further development in fields such as ocean energy exploration and surface reconnaissance.
基金Supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52325212,52372394)National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant Nos.2022YFE0117100,2021YFB2501201)+1 种基金Industry-University-Research Innovation Fund for Chinese Universities(Grand No.2024HT010)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘Chassis-by-wire technology has gained significant attention,with the scope of chassis domain control expanding from traditional two-dimensional plane motion control to encompass three-dimensional space motion control.Modern chassis-by-wire systems manage an increasing number of heterogeneous chassis execution systems,including distributed drive,all-wheel drive(AWD),brake-by-wire(BBW),steer-by-wire(SBW),rear-wheel steering(RWS),active stabilizer bar(ASB)and active suspension system(ASS),greatly enhancing the controllable degrees of freedom compared to conventional chassis configurations.To advance research in chassis domain control,it is essential to understand how these heterogeneous execution systems influence vehicle dynamics.This paper focuses on the modeling and analysis of the lateral,longitudinal,and vertical chassis control and execution systems,-as well as their impact on vehicle lateral motion.Using a vehicle simulation platform,both the vehicle dynamics model and the individual dynamics models of each execution system were developed to analyze the influence of these systems on lateral dynamics.Additionally,a hierarchical control architecture was designed to control the vehicle’s lateral stability.The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme was demonstrated and validated through hardware-in-the-loop(HIL)tests and real-world vehicle testing.
基金support provided by the Hong Kong RGC Theme-based Research Scheme(No.AoE/M-402/20)Hong Kong RGC Area of Excellence Scheme(No.AoE/E-101/23-N)+1 种基金Hong Kong RGC Theme-based Research Scheme(No.T45-406/23-R)the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Commission via the Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center.
文摘Soft actuators and stimuli responsive materials are highlighted in the research field for their enormous potential in transit tasks,sensing,and biomedical devices,particularly the magnetic responsive soft actu-ators driven by magnetic force remotely.Nevertheless,the further study of magnetic responsive actuators with complex three-dimensional geometries and multiple functions is still limited by uncomplicated de-sign and flexible locomotion.This work provides a novel scheme integrating the origami method and modular designs,which defines the inner properties of magnetic material,extending the functions of magnetic responsive actuators with various modules.The directions of the inner magnetic moments can be programmed and the deformation degrees can be regulated by this approach,which promotes the fabrication of complicated soft actuators with multiple functions by integrating with modular designs.Especially,a movable actuator with various sensing modulus is designed by the origami method,which can perform the sensing application to external ultra-violet(UV),heat,and pH stimuli.Moreover,a mi-croneedle modular actuator which can be controlled wirelessly by a magnetic field was demonstrated for the potential application in the biomedical field.This proposed scheme for engineering magnetic respon-sive material with modular designs has shown great potential to improve the feasibility,versatility,and multiple functionalities of soft actuators.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52103145 and 11832007)Science&Technology Department of Sichuan Province(No.2025ZNSFSC0352)State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering(No.sklpme-2024-1-03)。
文摘Liquid crystal elastomers(LCEs)exhibit exceptional reversible deformation and unique physical properties owing to their order-disorder phase transition under external stimuli.Among these deformations,helical structures have attracted attention owing to their distinctive configurations and promising applications in biomimetics and microelectronics.However,the helical deformation behavior of fiber actuators is critically influenced by their morphologies and alignments;yet,the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.Through a two-step azaMichael addition reaction and direct ink writing(DIW)4D printing technology,fiber-based LCE actuators with a core-sheath alignment structure were fabricated and exhibited reversible helical deformation upon heating.By adjusting the printing parameters,the filament number,width,thickness,and core-sheath structure of the fiber actuators can be precisely controlled,resulting in deformation behaviors,such as contraction,bending,and helical twisting.Finite element simulations were performed to investigate the deformation behaviors of the fiber actuators,providing insights into the variations in stress and strain during the shape-changing process,which can be used to explain the shape-morphing mechanism.These findings demonstrate that the precise tuning of printing parameters enables the controllable construction of LCE actuator morphology and customization of their functional properties,paving the way for advanced applications in smart fabrics,biomedical engineering,and flexible electronics.
文摘A theoretical analysis regarding active vibration control of rotating machines with current-controlled electrodynamic actuators between machine feet and steel frame foundation and with velocity feedback of the machine feet vibrations is presented.First,a generalized mathematical formulation is derived based on a state-space description which can be used for different kinds of models(1D,2D,and 3D models).It is shown that under special boundary conditions,the control parameters can be directly implemented into the stiffness and damping matrices of the system.Based on the generalized mathematical formulation,an example of a rotating machine—described by a 2D model—with journal bearings,flexible rotor,current-controlled electrodynamic actuators,steel frame foundation,and velocity feedback of the machine feet vibrations is presented where the effectiveness of the described active vibration control system is demonstrated.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52273111 and 51873197)the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province of China(No.LR22E030004)the Foundation of Westlake University。
文摘Photonic fibrous soft actuators that can modulate light and produce responsive deformation would have broad technological implications in areas,ranging from smart textiles and intelligent artificial muscles to medical devices.However,creating such multifunctional soft actuators has proved tremendously challenging.Here,we report novel cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer(CLCE)based photonic fibrous soft actuators(PFSAs).CLCE can serve as chiral photonic soft active material and allow for multiresponse in shapes and colors.We leveraged a tubularmold-based processing technology to prepare fibrous CLCE actuators,and the prepared actuators exhibit the capabilities to dynamically switch structural colors and geometrical shapes by mechanical,temperature,or light stimuli.CLCE-based PFSAs demonstrate diverse functionalities,including visual weight feedback,optically driven object manipulation,and light driven locomotion.It is anticipated that our PFSAs would offer many new possibilities for developing advanced soft actuators.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2023YFB3812800)the Joint Fund for Regional Innovation and Development of National Natural Science Foundation China(No.U24A2078)+3 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52173181,51973155,52205599)Tianjin Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(22JCJQJC00060)the Youth Science Fund Program of Shanxi Province(202203021212203)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2024M752361).
文摘MXene(Ti3C2Tx)is known for its excellent hydrophilicity,electrical conductivity,and dispersibility.It is a promising candidate for the fabrication of moisture-responsive actuators due to the strong interaction between MXene sheets and water molecules.Inspired by natural organisms,a variety of moisture-actuated soft robots have been successfully developed through the systematic integration of MXene-based actuators.This minireview summarizes recent advances in the preparation and applications of MXene-based moisture-responsive actuators.The hydrophilic properties of MXene,along with design principles,working mechanisms,current progress,and applications of MXenebased actuators,are discussed.The future prospects and developmental directions of MXene-based moisture-responsive actuators are put forward,providing novel insights for their further advancement in the realm of automatable smart devices.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52375293)the Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control for Aerospace Structures(Nanjing University of Aeronautics and astronautics,Nos.1005-IZD2300225 and IZD2400217)+2 种基金the Nanjing Life and Health Technology Special Project(No.202305031)the Clinical Competence Enhancement Project in Healthcare(No.JSPH-MB-2022-4)the Medical Engineering Translational Fund of Jiangsu Province Hospital(No.NM202402).
文摘Minimally invasive interventional surgery techniques using guidewire-based catheters are widely adopted to treat vascular diseases.However,commonly used interventional catheters lack active guidance.The use of guidewires is associated with risks,including increased exposure to X-rays and potential vascular damage during withdrawal from complex vessels.Herein,we developed sub-millimeter microtubular ionic actuators(0.6-0.8 mm outer diameter)integrated into steerable interventional catheters.These actuators can generate large deformations(>10 mm)under 7 V direct current due to enhanced ion migration,enabling precise navigation without the need for guidewires.The designed catheters achieved active bending and accurate positioning in complex arterial vascular branches within a human model.They were also able to navigate within different arterial locations(e.g.,the innominate,subclavian,and carotid arteries)in pigs without the use of guidewires,and even access the ventricle and deliver contrast medium,indicating their great potential for future endovascular therapy.
基金financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.U1637101)The Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control for Aerospace Structures(1005-ZAG23011).
文摘As a kind of ionic artificial muscle material,Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites(IPMCs)have the advantages of a low drive current,light weight,and significant flexibility.IPMCs are widely used in the fields of biomedicine,soft robots,etc.However,the displacement and blocking force of the traditional sheet-type Nafion-IPMC need to be improved,and it has the limitation of unidirectional actuation.In this paper,a new type of short side chain Aquivion material is used as the polymer in the IPMC.The cylindrical IPMC is prepared by extrusion technology to improve its actuation performance and realize multi-degree-of-freedom motion.In comparison to the traditional Nafion-IPMC,the ion exchange capacity,specific capacitance,and conductivity of Aquivion-IPMC are improved by 28%,27%,and 32%,respectively,and the displacement and blocking force are improved by 57%and 25%,respectively.The cylindrical actuators can be deflected in eight directions.This indicates that Aquivion,as a polymer membrane for IPMC,holds significant application potential.By designing a cylindrical IPMC electrode distribution,the multi-degree-of-freedom deflection of IPMC can be realized.
基金Project supported by the Science and Technology Research Project of Henan Province in China(Grant No.222102220022)。
文摘Soft underwater swimming robots driven by smart materials show unique advantages in ocean exploration,such as low noise,high flexibility and good environmental interaction ability.The dielectric elastomer(DE),as a new kind of soft intelligent material,has the characteristics of a low elastic modulus,large deformation range,high energy density and fast response speed.DE actuator(DEA)drive systems use the deformation characteristics of dielectric materials to drive the mechanical system,which has become a research hotspot in the field of soft robots.In this paper,a tubular actuator based on DEs is designed and its performance is studied.Firstly,the structure and driving process of a DEA are described,and a tubular DEA is designed.Studying the elongation ratio of the DEA pre-stretching shows that when the axial elongation ratio is 3 times and the circumferential elongation ratio is 4 times,the maximum deformation effect can be obtained under voltage excitation.At a voltage of 6.0 k V,a single pipe section DEA achieves a bending angle of 25.9°and a driving force of 73.8 m N.Secondly,the effect of the DEA series on the bending angle and response characteristics is studied.The experimental results show that the maximum bending angle of the three joint actuators in series can reach 59.3°under6.0 k V voltage,which significantly improves the overall bending performance.In addition,the truncation frequency of the drive module after the series is increased to 0.62 Hz,showing better frequency response capability.The excellent performance of the pipe joint actuator in its bending angle,response characteristic and driving force is verified.
基金supported by the Chinese Civil Aircraft Project(No.MJ-2017-S49).
文摘With the advancement of more electric aircraft(MEA)technology,the application of electro-hydrostatic actuators(EHAs)in aircraft actuation systems has become increasingly prevalent.This paper focuses on the modeling and mode switching analysis of EHA used in the primary flight control actuation systems of large aircraft,addressing the challenges associated with mode switching.First,we analyze the functional architecture and operational characteristics of multi-mode EHA,and sumarize the operating modes and implementation methods.Based on the EHA system architecture,we then develop a theoretical mathematical model and a simulation model.Using the simulation model,we analyze the performance of the EHA during normal operation.Finally,the performance of the EHA during mode switching under various functional switching scenarios is investigated.The results indicate that the EHA meets the performance requirements in terms of accuracy,bandwidth,and load capacity.Additionally,the hydraulic cylinder operates smoothly during the EHA mode switching,and the response time for switching between different modes is less than the specified threshold.These findings validate the system performance of multi-mode EHA,which helps to improve the reliability of EHA and the safety of aircraft flight control systems.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.U23B6001).
文摘The oscillation of large space structure(LSS)can be easily induced because of its low vibration frequency.The coupling effect between LSS vibration control and attitude control can significantly reduce the overall performance of the control system,especially when the scale of flexible structure increases.This paper proposes an optimal placement method of piezoelectric stack actuators(PSAs)network which reduces the coupling effect between attitude and vibration control system.First,a spacecraft with a honeycomb-shaped telescope is designed for a resolution-critical imaging scenario.The coupling dynamics of the spacecraft is established using finite element method(FEM)and floating frame of reference formulation(FFRF).Second,a coupling-effect-reducing optimal placement criterion for PSAs based on coupling-matrix enhanced Gramian is designed to reduce the coupling effect excitation while balancing controllability.Additionally,a laddered multi-layered optimizing scheme is established to increase the speed and accuracy when solving the gigantic discrete optimization problem.Finally,the effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated through numerical simulation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52332011).
文摘Cyber-physical systems(CPSs)are increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to their integral connection between cyberspace and the physical world,which is augmented by Internet connectivity.This vulnerability necessitates a heightened focus on developing resilient control mechanisms for CPSs.However,current observer-based active compensation resilient controllers exhibit poor performance against stealthy deception attacks(SDAs)due to the difficulty in accurately reconstructing system states because of the stealthy nature of these attacks.Moreover,some non-active compensation approaches are insufficient when there is a complete loss of actuator control authority.To address these issues,we introduce a novel learning-based passive resilient controller(LPRC).Our approach,unlike observer-based state reconstruction,shows enhanced effectiveness in countering SDAs.We developed a safety state set,represented by an ellipsoid,to ensure CPS stability under SDA conditions,maintaining system trajectories within this set.Additionally,by employing deep reinforcement learning(DRL),the LPRC acquires the capacity to adapt and diverse evolving attack strategies.To empirically substantiate our methodology,various attack methods were compared with current passive and active compensation resilient control methods to evaluate their performance.
