Conventional liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)-based robots are limited by the need for complex controllers and bulky power supplies,restricting their use in microrobots and soft robots.This paper introduces a novel light...Conventional liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)-based robots are limited by the need for complex controllers and bulky power supplies,restricting their use in microrobots and soft robots.This paper introduces a novel light-powered dicycle that uses an LCE rod,enabling self-rolling by harvesting energy from the environment.The LCE rod serves as the driving force,with energy being supplied by a line light source.Employing a dynamic LCE model,we calculate the transverse curvature of the LCE rod after deformation,as well as the driving moment generated by the shift in a rod’s center of gravity,which allows the dicycle to roll on its own.Through extensive numerical simulations,we identify the correlations between the angular velocity of the dicycle and the key system parameters,specifically the light intensity,LCE rod length,light penetration depth,overall mass of the dicycle,rolling friction coefficient,and wheel radius.Further,the experimental verification is the same as the theoretical result.This proposed light-powered self-rolling dicycle comes with the benefits of the simple structure,the convenient control,the stationary light source,and the small luminous area of the light source.It not only demonstrates self-sustaining oscillations based on active materials,but also highlights the great potential of light-responsive LCE rods in applications such as robotics,aerospace,healthcare,and automation.展开更多
Self-vibrating systems comprised of active materials have great potential for application in the fields of energy harvesting,actuation,bionic instrumentation,and autonomous robotics.However,it is challenging to obtain...Self-vibrating systems comprised of active materials have great potential for application in the fields of energy harvesting,actuation,bionic instrumentation,and autonomous robotics.However,it is challenging to obtain analytical solutions describing these systems,which hinders analysis and design.In this work,we propose a self-vibrating liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)fiber-spring system exposed to spatially-constant gradient light,and determine analytical solutions for its amplitude and period.First,using a dynamic model of LCE,we obtain the equations governing the self-vibration.Then,we analyze two different motion states and elucidate the mechanism of self-vibration.Subsequently,we derive analytical solutions for the amplitude and frequency using the multi-scale method,and compare the solutions with numerical results.The analytical outcomes are shown to be consistent with the numerical calculations,while taking far less computational time.Our findings reveal the utility of the multi-scale method in describing self-vibration,which may contribute to more efficient and accurate analyses of self-vibrating systems.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12172001)the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province of China(No.2022AH020029)+1 种基金the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Nos.2208085Y01 and 2008085QA23)the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Science and Technology Project of Anhui Province of China(No.2023-YF129)。
文摘Conventional liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)-based robots are limited by the need for complex controllers and bulky power supplies,restricting their use in microrobots and soft robots.This paper introduces a novel light-powered dicycle that uses an LCE rod,enabling self-rolling by harvesting energy from the environment.The LCE rod serves as the driving force,with energy being supplied by a line light source.Employing a dynamic LCE model,we calculate the transverse curvature of the LCE rod after deformation,as well as the driving moment generated by the shift in a rod’s center of gravity,which allows the dicycle to roll on its own.Through extensive numerical simulations,we identify the correlations between the angular velocity of the dicycle and the key system parameters,specifically the light intensity,LCE rod length,light penetration depth,overall mass of the dicycle,rolling friction coefficient,and wheel radius.Further,the experimental verification is the same as the theoretical result.This proposed light-powered self-rolling dicycle comes with the benefits of the simple structure,the convenient control,the stationary light source,and the small luminous area of the light source.It not only demonstrates self-sustaining oscillations based on active materials,but also highlights the great potential of light-responsive LCE rods in applications such as robotics,aerospace,healthcare,and automation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12172001)the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province(No.2022AH020029)+1 种基金the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Nos.2208085Y01 and 2008085QA23)the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Science and Technology Project of Anhui Province(No.2023-YF129),China.
文摘Self-vibrating systems comprised of active materials have great potential for application in the fields of energy harvesting,actuation,bionic instrumentation,and autonomous robotics.However,it is challenging to obtain analytical solutions describing these systems,which hinders analysis and design.In this work,we propose a self-vibrating liquid crystal elastomer(LCE)fiber-spring system exposed to spatially-constant gradient light,and determine analytical solutions for its amplitude and period.First,using a dynamic model of LCE,we obtain the equations governing the self-vibration.Then,we analyze two different motion states and elucidate the mechanism of self-vibration.Subsequently,we derive analytical solutions for the amplitude and frequency using the multi-scale method,and compare the solutions with numerical results.The analytical outcomes are shown to be consistent with the numerical calculations,while taking far less computational time.Our findings reveal the utility of the multi-scale method in describing self-vibration,which may contribute to more efficient and accurate analyses of self-vibrating systems.
