1A2_0482_ TEXTILE-AMPLIFIED DIELECTRIC ELASTOMER ACTUATORS FOR SOFT ROBOTICS

Abstract

In recent years the field of soft robotics has gained a lot of interest both in academia and industry. One material class used frequently in soft robotics are dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) consisting of a thin elastomer layer between two compliant electrodes. Their low mechanical strength and durability result in the necessity to add support structures. A textile based reinforcement of these actuators is advantageous, due to its highly anisotropic mechanical properties, which enhance the actuation and provide stability. In this paper a Carbon Fiber (CF) based reinforcement structure combined with DEAs is presented and discussed with respect to its actuation properties.