Artificial muscle technology: physical principles and naval prospects

The increasing understanding of the advantages offered by fish and insect-like locomotion is creating a demand for muscle-like materials capable of mimicking nature's mechanisms. Actuator materials that employ voltage, field, light, or temperature driven dimensional changes to produce forces an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE journal of oceanic engineering 2004-07, Vol.29 (3), p.706-728
Main Authors: Madden, J.D.W., Vandesteeg, N.A., Anquetil, P.A., Madden, P.G.A., Takshi, A., Pytel, R.Z., Lafontaine, S.R., Wieringa, P.A., Hunter, I.W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actuator materials
Actuators
Artificial muscles
Conducting materials
Crystalline materials
Devices
Dielectric materials
Elastomers
Electric potential
electroactive polymers
Ferroelectric materials
Ferroelectricity
Liquid crystal polymers
Marine
Marine animals
Muscles
Polymers
R&D
Research & development
shape memory alloys
Temperature
Voltage
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Summary:The increasing understanding of the advantages offered by fish and insect-like locomotion is creating a demand for muscle-like materials capable of mimicking nature's mechanisms. Actuator materials that employ voltage, field, light, or temperature driven dimensional changes to produce forces and displacements are suggesting new approaches to propulsion and maneuverability. Fundamental properties of these new materials are presented, and examples of potential undersea applications are examined in order to assist those involved in device design and in actuator research to evaluate the current status and the developing potential of these artificial muscle technologies. Technologies described are based on newly explored materials developed over the past decade, and also on older materials whose properties are not widely known. The materials are dielectric elastomers, ferroelectric polymers, liquid crystal elastomers, thermal and ferroelectric shape memory alloys, ionic polymer/metal composites, conducting polymers, and carbon nanotubes. Relative merits and challenges associated with the artificial muscle technologies are elucidated in two case studies. A summary table provides a quick guide to all technologies that are discussed.
ISSN:0364-9059
1558-1691
DOI:10.1109/JOE.2004.833135