Artificial muscles for robots brought closer to reality with 3D-printed actuators
These DEAs use interlocking silicone layers—conductive and non-conductive—contracting with voltage like muscles and relaxing when off.
These DEAs use interlocking silicone layers—conductive and non-conductive—contracting with voltage like muscles and relaxing when off.
Swedish researchers have developed a breakthrough 3D printing method to create soft actuators.
These dielectric elastic actuators (DEA) are made from silicone-based materials, combining conductive electrodes with non-conductive dielectrics in interlocking layers.
According to the team at Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), the innovation enables the efficient production of complex, flexible components, advancing soft robotics and smart materials.