Flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit, module and robot control method

Abstract

This application discloses a flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit, module, and robot control method, belonging to the field of biomimetic robot technology. The drive unit includes a drive component made of an electro-actuated material capable of active deformation under electric field excitation; a flexible electrode component for applying a drive electric field; and a constraint guiding component configured to provide anisotropic mechanical constraints on the deformation of the drive component, thereby guiding and converting the active deformation of the drive component under electric field excitation into a linear driving force, torsional torque, or bending torque along a first predetermined direction. This reduces noise generated during the drive process. The constraint guiding component, through anisotropic mechanical constraints, directly "decodes" and amplifies the microscopic deformation of the material into macroscopic, precise linear or rotational motion. The robot can achieve more delicate, soft, and lifelike anthropomorphic expressions, solving the problem of stiff expressions from a physical perspective.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of biomimetic robot technology, specifically to a flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit, module, and robot control method. Background Technology

[0002] Bionic actuation technology is the core foundation for improving the humanoid performance and naturalness of robot interactions. An ideal bionic actuation system should possess characteristics such as excellent compliance, high energy density, rapid response, and quiet operation. These properties are particularly crucial in the facial expression actuation and control of robots, which require emotional interaction.

[0003] Currently, the mainstream approach to achieving robotic facial expressions relies on rigid actuators such as micro servo motors and servo motors, using transmission mechanisms like gears, linkages, or ropes to deform artificial skin. While this approach can achieve basic facial movements, its inherent limitations restrict the naturalness of the expressions and the degree of system integration: First, rigid transmission results in stiff and abrupt motion outputs, lacking the smoothness and dynamic continuity of biological soft tissue movements; second, the actuators and transmission mechanisms are large, heavy, and complex, making it difficult to achieve a high-density, biomimetic integrated layout within the limited anatomical space of the face; third, the operation of motors and gears inevitably generates noise and vibration, which is detrimental to close-range, immersive human-computer interaction.

[0004] Furthermore, existing control strategies for facial expression robots mostly rely on simple open-loop control of individual actuators or position-based command tracking, lacking intelligent mapping from high-level facial semantics to the coordinated activation of microscopic muscle units. This makes it difficult for the system to reproduce the subtle temporal dynamics, muscle coupling relationships, and fatigue relaxation effects in real facial expressions, resulting in stiff and unnatural facial expression output.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a solution that can achieve systematic innovation from driving principles and structural morphology to control strategies. This solution needs to possess large deformation capabilities, precise and controllable output direction, ease of high-density biomimetic integration, and the ability to achieve intelligent, anthropomorphic collaborative control, in order to drive the development of biomimetic facial expression robots towards a more natural, reliable, and practical direction. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit, module, and robot control method to overcome the core technical problems of the aforementioned flexible electro-actuator output direction being difficult to guide precisely and the difficulty in achieving anthropomorphic collaborative control.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit, comprising: a drive component made of an electro-actuated material capable of active deformation under electric field excitation; a flexible electrode component disposed on two opposing surfaces of the drive component for applying a drive electric field; and a constraint guiding component configured to provide anisotropic mechanical constraints on the deformation of the drive component, such that the active deformation of the drive component under electric field excitation is guided and converted into a linear driving force, torsional torque, or bending torque along a first predetermined direction.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the electro-actuating material is selected from at least one of dielectric elastomers, ionomer-metal composites, liquid crystal elastomers, or conductive polymers.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the constraint guiding component is a structure with anisotropic stiffness, used to implement the anisotropic mechanical constraint.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the structure with anisotropic stiffness is a constraint layer with a mesh structure; the constraint layer with the mesh structure is configured such that the equivalent tensile stiffness of the constraint layer in the first predetermined direction is lower than its equivalent tensile stiffness in at least one other direction, thereby achieving the anisotropic mechanical constraint.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the structure with anisotropic stiffness is made of a single intrinsically anisotropic material, wherein the Young's modulus of the intrinsically anisotropic material in the first predetermined direction is lower than its Young's modulus in at least one other direction.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the structure with anisotropic stiffness includes a plurality of discrete rigid constraint elements, which are distributed in a chain or strip shape along the first predetermined direction, thereby forming a continuous constraint path in a direction perpendicular to the first predetermined direction.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the flexible electrode assembly includes a first flexible electrode layer and a second flexible electrode layer; wherein the first flexible electrode layer and the second flexible electrode layer are respectively disposed on both sides of the driving assembly for applying the driving electric field to the driving assembly; the constraint guiding assembly includes a first constraint guiding layer and a second constraint guiding layer, wherein the density of the first constraint guiding layer is greater than that of the second constraint guiding layer; wherein, in a first direction of the driving assembly, the driving assembly, the first flexible electrode layer, and the first constraint guiding layer are sequentially stacked, and in a second direction of the driving assembly, the driving assembly, the second flexible electrode layer, and the second constraint guiding layer are sequentially stacked; or, in the first direction of the driving assembly, the driving assembly, the first constraint guiding layer, and the first flexible electrode layer are sequentially stacked, and in the second direction of the driving assembly, the driving assembly, the second constraint guiding layer, and the second flexible electrode layer are sequentially stacked; wherein both the first and second directions are perpendicular to the axial direction of the driving assembly.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the first flexible electrode layer and / or the second flexible electrode layer are configured as a stretchable mesh or serpentine conductive structure within at least one predetermined bending region.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the driving unit further includes an encapsulation component covering the exterior of the driving component, the flexible electrode component, and the constraint guiding component, wherein the encapsulation component is a flexible insulating layer.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the encapsulation component is configured to have a lower Young's modulus in the bending region than in other regions to form a flexible hinge that enhances bending durability.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the constraint guiding component is integrated with the first flexible electrode layer and / or the second flexible electrode layer to form a composite functional layer that simultaneously possesses conductive and anisotropic constraint functions.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the constraint guiding component is a fiber reinforcement layer disposed on at least one flexible electrode layer in the flexible electrode assembly, wherein high-strength fibers in the fiber reinforcement layer are arranged along a second predetermined direction, and the angle between the arrangement direction of the fibers and the first predetermined direction is less than 45 degrees.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the high-strength fibers are arranged anisotropically, enabling the drive unit to generate bending or torsional motion under electric field excitation.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the drive assembly includes one or more inner cores made of an electro-actuating material; the flexible electrode assembly includes a spiral or mesh flexible electrode layer surrounding the inner core; and the constraint guide assembly includes a constraint guide sheath layer woven from high-strength fibers covering the outer side; wherein the drive unit is linear and has a circular or elliptical cross-section.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the driving unit is a continuous long strip prepared by a roll-to-roll process, and the continuous long strip is cut, folded and / or wound to form a target three-dimensional configuration.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the constraint guiding component is comprised of a portion of the support structure that houses the drive unit, which provides the anisotropic mechanical constraint on the deformation of the drive component through its physical form.

[0023] In one possible implementation, the encapsulation component is made of biocompatible silicone or polyurethane elastomer with an elastic modulus between 0.1 MPa and 10 MPa.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the drive unit further includes a flexible strain sensor integrated within the packaging assembly or on the flexible electrode layer for real-time monitoring of the deformation of the drive unit.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the drive unit is provided with a flexible or elastic anchoring interface for connection with an external structure.

[0026] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a flexible electro-actuated robot drive module, the drive module comprising: a flexible substrate; and at least one flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit as described in any one of the first aspects, the drive unit being fixed on the flexible substrate according to the biomimetic muscle orientation.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the drive module includes a plurality of drive units, wherein at least two drive units are arranged in parallel to increase output force, and / or in series to increase deformation stroke.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the flexible substrate is pre-set with anchor points and wiring channels adapted to the anatomical structure of the human face.

[0029] In one possible implementation, the drive module is configured to simulate the muscle movement function of the target muscle, and the similarity between the arrangement direction of the drive units and the physiological contraction and extension direction of the target muscle is not less than a preset threshold.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the target muscles include human facial expression muscles.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the driving module further includes a driving circuit electrically connected to the driving unit for outputting a driving electric field to the driving unit.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the flexible substrate is provided with at least one magnetic connection surface for detachable and rapid connection with an external functional layer via magnetic force.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the magnetic connection surface includes at least one of the following structural forms: a slot or boss pre-embedded or embedded with permanent magnet particles or soft magnetic material particles; a magnetic material layer formed on the surface of the supporting structure with a specific spatial arrangement pattern; wherein the external functional layer is a biomimetic skin layer, a secondary encapsulation layer, or a sensing layer.

[0034] In one possible implementation, the magnetic connection surface is configured to simultaneously provide connection positioning and connection status sensing functions, and changes in its connection status can be sensed and fed back by integrated circuitry.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the drive module further includes a local processor for performing local closed-loop control on the corresponding drive units based on the deformation of each drive unit within the drive module.

[0036] In one possible implementation, an insulating slot is pre-set on the flexible substrate, and the drive unit is detachably installed in the insulating slot via an anchoring interface. The inner wall of the insulating slot constitutes partial encapsulation and insulation of the drive unit.

[0037] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a drive module array, including a plurality of flexible electro-actuated robot drive modules as described in any of the second aspects, wherein the plurality of drive modules are arranged in an array.

[0038] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a robot that integrates at least two flexible electro-actuated robot drive modules as described in any one of the second aspects; and / or an array of drive modules provided in the third aspect.

[0039] Fifthly, this application provides a robot control method applied to the robot provided in the third aspect. The method includes the following steps: receiving a target motion instruction from the robot; parsing the target motion instruction into a target activation sequence corresponding to one or more motion encoding units; based on a pre-stored mapping relationship obtained through machine learning analysis of real human electromyography signals and image data, converting the target activation sequence into a set of drive signal parameters for a drive unit in a specific drive module, wherein the mapping relationship defines the association between the activation intensity and temporal relationship between the robot motion encoding unit and the drive module; and introducing anthropomorphic dynamic parameters when generating the drive signal parameters. The state parameters include at least one of the following: start-up delay time, relaxation time, micro-jitter frequency and amplitude, and fatigue attenuation coefficient; a driving electric field is generated and applied to the corresponding driving unit according to the driving signal parameters; deformation feedback signals from the driving unit or driving module are acquired in real time; the deformation feedback signals are compared with the expected deformation corresponding to the target activation sequence, and the driving signal parameters are dynamically adjusted according to the comparison result through a closed-loop control algorithm to eliminate errors and achieve accurate tracking; wherein, when parsing the target expression command into the target activation sequence, mechanical coupling calculation is also performed to compensate for motion interference caused by the physical connection between different driving modules.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit is any of the drive units provided in the first aspect, and / or the drive module is any of the drive modules provided in the second aspect.

[0041] The flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit, module, and system provided in this application fundamentally break through the traditional drive method that relies on rigid actuators, effectively solving the technical problems of stiff robot expressions, complex structures, and high noise in existing technologies. Specifically, a driving electric field is applied to the electro-actuated material through flexible electrode components, causing it to undergo inherent, typically isotropic, active expansion or contraction deformation. Subsequently, the core constraint guiding component, as a pre-designed mechanical coupling structure, applies asymmetric mechanical constraints to the original deformation with its anisotropic stiffness characteristics. This constraint forces the stress within the material to redistribute and release along a predetermined path, thereby directly guiding and converting the material's microscopic, disordered deformation into usable mechanical work outputs such as linear thrust, torsional torque, or bending torque in a single direction through the mechanical coupling principle. By directly shaping the energy transfer path through mechanical constraints, the output density and directness of the drive unit are significantly improved. Furthermore, this solution is rooted in the physical structure itself, rather than relying on complex control algorithms. On the other hand, this solution utilizes the inherent compliant and silent deformation characteristics of electro-actuated materials to fundamentally avoid the mechanical noise and vibration caused by traditional motors and gearboxes, achieving near-silent actuation. More importantly, its core constraint guidance component directly "decodes" and amplifies the microscopic deformation of the material into macroscopic, precise linear or rotational motion through anisotropic mechanical constraints. This process eliminates the need for complex transmission chains and numerous independent motors; the ingenious coupling of a single material and a constraint structure generates rich and smooth deformation and torque output, thus greatly simplifying the drive structure. Ultimately, this simple, silent, and efficient mechanical conversion mechanism enables robots to achieve more delicate, gentle, and lifelike anthropomorphic expressions, physically solving the problem of stiff facial expressions. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a flexible electrically actuated robot drive unit structure provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the configuration of a single-core drive assembly provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the configuration of a multi-core drive assembly provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the layered structure of a driving unit provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the flexible driving implementation of a driving unit according to one embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 6A schematic diagram of a driving unit for a composite functional structure provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 7 This application provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a linear driving unit according to one embodiment.

[0049] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another linear driving unit provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible electro-actuated robot drive module provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 10 This application provides a schematic diagram of a driver module array according to one embodiment.

[0052] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a robot control method provided in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0054] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0055] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between the components; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0056] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "side", "front", "rear", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the installation orientation or positional relationship, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0057] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone.

[0058] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the corresponding concepts involved in the technical solutions of this application will be explained below.

[0059] 1. Electro-actuated materials, also known as electroactive polymers or artificial muscle materials, are a class of smart materials that can undergo reversible changes in size, shape, or mechanical state under external electric field or current stimulation.

[0060] 2. Anisotropic stiffness refers to the property of a material whose stiffness changes significantly with different measurement directions.

[0061] 3. Mechanical constraints are physical conditions or structural designs used to limit the degrees of freedom of motion of an object or component. They deprive an object of its ability to move or deform in certain directions by applying boundary conditions, thereby guiding its behavior to a preset trajectory or pattern.

[0062] 4. Young's modulus, also known as the elastic modulus, is a physical quantity that describes the ability of a solid material to resist elastic deformation; it quantifies the stiffness of the material. Its core definition is the ratio of stress to strain during the elastic deformation phase of the material. It reflects the "rigidity" or bonding strength of the chemical bonds between atoms (or molecules) within the material. The stronger the bonds, the more difficult the material is to be stretched or compressed, and the higher the Young's modulus value.

[0063] 5. Mechanical coupling solution refers to the process of establishing a mathematical model (mainly kinematic and dynamic equations) of a mechanical system with coupling relationship, and solving it through numerical or analytical methods to obtain the system's motion state (displacement, velocity, acceleration) and force conditions (force, torque) under specific conditions.

[0064] It should be noted that this application does not limit the specific dimensions, shape, or absolute thickness of the core structures such as the drive component and the constraint guide component. The terms "sheet-like" and "filament-like" listed in the specification are merely examples to illustrate the principle and demonstrate preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that, according to the requirements of different application scenarios regarding output force, stroke, and spatial layout, the cross-sectional dimensions, aspect ratio, and thickness of the drive unit can be adaptively adjusted and designed, and these variations based on the same inventive concept all fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0065] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0066] Reference Figure 1 As shown, the flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit may include a drive component 10, a flexible electrode component 20, and a constraint guide component 30.

[0067] The drive component 10 is made of an electro-actuated material 10a that is capable of active deformation under electric field excitation.

[0068] Flexible electrode assembly 20 is used to apply a driving electric field.

[0069] The constraint guiding component 30 is configured to provide anisotropic mechanical constraints on the deformation of the drive component, such that the active deformation of the drive component under electric field excitation is guided and converted into a linear driving force, torsional torque or bending torque along a first predetermined direction.

[0070] based on Figure 1 The driving unit provided in the illustrated embodiment responds to an external control signal by first applying a driving electric field of preset intensity and timing through the flexible electrode assembly 20. This electric field then excites the electro-actuated material 10a in the driving assembly 10 to undergo active deformation. Simultaneously, the constraint guiding assembly 30, based on its anisotropic stiffness distribution, applies real-time, asymmetric mechanical constraints to the deformation process of the electro-actuated material 10a. This constraint, acting as a "fixed mechanical program," continuously guides and redirects the internal stress of the material, ultimately converting its microscopic deformation energy into a macroscopic linear displacement, rotation, or bending output along a first predetermined direction. This process achieves cascaded direct drive from electrical signal to material response to mechanical guidance, with extremely simple and efficient control logic. It eliminates the complex motion decomposition, multi-motor cooperative control, and gear transmission compensation required in traditional driving schemes, thereby fundamentally reducing the control complexity of the system, reducing energy transfer losses, and ensuring high determinism, rapid response, and quiet operation of the output motion.

[0071] In some embodiments, the core "driving component" also has a highly flexible form to adapt to different integration needs and force / stroke requirements, and may specifically include the following structural forms:

[0072] Planar layered structure: This is the basic form, which is easy to stack and manufacture and to output in-plane forces. It is especially suitable for scenarios that require large-area, distributed drive (such as covering the face support structure).

[0073] Linear fiber bundle structure: The driving material is made into an inner core, covered with a spiral electrode and a woven constraint sheath to form a high-performance "driving fiber bundle". This form combines high strength, long stroke and excellent flexibility, making it particularly suitable as an "artificial tendon" for linear traction, or woven into more complex biomimetic muscle fabrics.

[0074] The "constraint-guiding component" is the key actuator for realizing the above principle. Its essential function is to provide "anisotropic mechanical constraints." Specifically, it is designed to provide relatively low constraint stiffness in a first predetermined direction of desired output force or deformation, allowing the driving material to extend or contract relatively freely in that direction; while in all other directions (especially in directions of undesirable deformation that need to be suppressed), it provides significantly higher constraint stiffness, thereby strongly restricting the deformation of the material.

[0075] In some embodiments, the drive assembly includes one or more cores made of an electro-actuating material.

[0076] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a single-core drive assembly provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0077] Reference Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment, the drive assembly 10 includes an inner core made of an electro-actuating material. The inner core, based on its morphology, may include a columnar inner core F1, a sheet-like inner core F2, or a block-like inner core F3.

[0078] based on Figure 2 The different forms of single electro-actuated material drive components (i.e. single-core drive components) shown in the figure attempt to expand uniformly in all directions under the excitation of an electric field. However, due to the mechanical constraint of the constraint guide component in the corresponding direction, the expansion is suppressed, and the internal stress of the electro-actuated material is forced to redistribute, eventually transforming into elongation or contraction along a first predetermined direction, thereby generating a strong linear driving force, torsional torque or bending torque.

[0079] By using a drive assembly consisting of a single core, combined with a drive unit comprised of flexible electrode components and constraint guiding components, a one-step conversion from "electric field input to directional mechanical output" is directly achieved. This design eliminates the structural complexity, assembly errors, and potential interference caused by the coordination of multiple components. It not only significantly improves the reliability and consistency of the drive unit but also minimizes the transmission path of the driving force and energy loss. As a result, it can output more precise and faster linear motion in a more compact form, providing an inherently simple and high-performance underlying solution for applications requiring high-density, high-reliability linear drives.

[0080] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a multi-core drive assembly provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0081] Reference Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the drive assembly can be a composite configuration, specifically, it can include at least two inner cores made of electro-actuating material, and the at least two inner cores can be parallel strip-shaped inner cores.

[0082] In other embodiments, the drive assembly may also be a constraint guide assembly directly integrated therein, consisting of one or more layers of electro-actuated material cores, for example, with non-stretchable fibers or films attached or embedded on one side of the electro-actuated material layer.

[0083] In the implementation of the multi-core drive assembly, adjacent cores can be isolated by an insulating layer. Furthermore, the multi-core drive assembly can share a single constraint guide assembly to provide anisotropic mechanical constraints. During the drive process, when an electric field is applied to a portion of the cores of the multi-core drive assembly to cause them to elongate, while another portion remains at its original length or is driven in the opposite direction, because all cores are bound together by the constraint guide assembly and cannot move freely and independently, the resulting deformation difference will force the entire drive assembly to twist, thereby outputting a torsional torque. When an electric field is applied to cause the cores to expand, the constrained side cannot elongate, while the free side can elongate. This asymmetrical constraint directly causes the entire structure to bend towards the constrained side, generating a bending torque, similar to a biological muscle-tendon complex.

[0084] By employing a drive assembly composed of multiple inner cores, combined with a drive unit consisting of flexible electrode components and constraint-guided components, this system achieves a leap in capability from a single material system to complex multidimensional motion output through the coordinated differential movement of multiple independent inner cores under unified constraints. It is no longer limited to simple linear push-pull movements, but utilizes the differences in the deformation states of each inner core, such as asynchronous extension or bending, to directly synthesize these microscopic differences into macroscopic controllable torsion, biomimetic bending, or compound curve motions under the coupling effect of the constraint-guided components. This design not only improves the functional density and degrees of freedom of the drive unit, but more importantly, it enables robots to achieve delicate, anthropomorphic movements similar to muscle group coordination with a minimalist mechanical structure, fundamentally solving the problems of stiff expressions and disjointed movements caused by the complexity of traditional solutions and the difficulty of multi-axis coordination.

[0085] In some embodiments, the electro-actuation material in the actuation component may include at least one of dielectric elastomers, ionomer-metal composites, liquid crystal elastomers, or conductive polymers. Dielectric elastomers can achieve large strain and high energy density, making them suitable for linear actuation requiring large amplitude and high force output; ionomer materials can produce smooth, silent bending deformation at low voltages, making them ideal for simulating subtle facial expressions; liquid crystal elastomers have programmable molecular orientation, enabling complex preset deformation patterns; and conductive polymers may integrate actuation and sensing functions. This diversity of material choices allows the actuation solution to flexibly match the most suitable electromechanical response characteristics according to specific application scenarios (such as high-load joints, subtle facial muscles, etc.), thereby achieving optimal configuration in multiple key dimensions such as energy efficiency, response speed, output force, quietness, and morphological adaptability. This fundamentally overcomes the performance limitations of single-material systems and provides a rich material foundation for building a new generation of high-performance, multi-scenario applicable flexible robots.

[0086] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the layered structure of a driving unit provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0087] Reference Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the flexible electrode assembly includes a first flexible electrode layer 20a and a second flexible electrode layer 20b; wherein the first flexible electrode layer 20a and the second flexible electrode layer 20b are respectively disposed on both sides of the driving assembly 10 for applying a driving electric field to the driving assembly 10.

[0088] The constraint guiding component may include a first constraint guiding layer 30a and a second constraint guiding layer 30b.

[0089] In one embodiment, in a first direction of the driving component 10, the driving component 10, the first flexible electrode layer 20a, and the first constraint guide layer 30a are sequentially stacked, and in a second direction of the driving component 10, the driving component 10, the second flexible electrode layer 20b, and the second constraint guide layer 30b are sequentially stacked. Both the first and second directions are perpendicular to the axial direction of the driving component 10. The axial direction of the driving component can be any direction of the plane containing the deformable surface of the driving component. For example, when the driving component is composed of a sheet-like inner core, the axial direction of the driving component can be any direction of the plane containing the two opposing surfaces of the sheet-like inner core. In this case, both the first and second directions are perpendicular to the axial direction of the driving component 10, and the directions of the first and second directions are opposite.

[0090] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a flexible drive implementation of a drive unit provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0091] Reference Figure 5 As shown, when a driving electric field is applied to the first flexible electrode layer 20a and the second flexible electrode layer 20b, the inner core of the electro-actuated material of the driving assembly 10 is excited by the electric field and tends to actively expand simultaneously in these two opposite lateral directions. However, the first constraint guide layer 30a and the second constraint guide layer 30b, which are closely attached to both sides, provide mechanical constraints to suppress the free deformation of the electro-actuated material in these two opposite lateral directions. This mechanical constraint forces the deformation of the electro-actuated material to be subject to the anisotropic mechanical constraints of the first constraint guide layer 30a and the second constraint guide layer 30b, and guides it into a driving force along a first predetermined direction, thereby efficiently and directly converting the microscopic expansion potential energy into macroscopic linear expansion and contraction motion or in-plane bending along the first predetermined direction in the plane.

[0092] By independently setting "electrode-constraint" composite layers on two opposite sides of the drive component, an asymmetric and dynamically adjustable mechanical guidance system was constructed. By independently adjusting the intensity and timing of the electric fields on both sides, or the local stiffness of the constraint guidance layers, the deformation mode of the drive component can be finely programmed. This allows for flexible output and seamless switching of various motion modes, from efficient linear stretching to controllable directional bending, on a single drive unit. This not only improves the functional density and motion performance of the drive unit but also simplifies complex multi-degree-of-freedom motion control to the regulation of electric field distribution. It achieves rich, quiet, and low-loss biomimetic drive effects with a minimalist mechanical structure, providing a crucial underlying hardware foundation for robots to achieve delicate and flexible movements.

[0093] In another embodiment, in the first direction of the driving assembly, the driving assembly, the first constraint guide layer, and the first flexible electrode layer are stacked sequentially, and in the second direction of the driving assembly, the driving assembly, the second constraint guide layer, and the second flexible electrode layer are stacked sequentially. For example, when the driving assembly is composed of a sheet-like inner core, the axial direction of the driving assembly can be any direction of the plane containing the two opposing surfaces of the sheet-like inner core. In this case, both the first and second directions are perpendicular to the axial direction of the driving assembly 10, and the first and second directions are opposite in direction.

[0094] In the current structure, unlike the structure in the previous embodiment, the constraint guiding layers (first and second constraint guiding layers) are directly in contact with the driving component, meaning that the anisotropic mechanical constraint provided by the constraint component directly acts on the surface of the driving component. The flexible electrode components (first and second flexible electrode layers) are disposed outside the constraint guiding layers, and the driving electric field applied by the flexible electrode components can be applied to the driving component through the constraint guiding layers. Specifically, when the flexible electrode components (first and second flexible electrode layers) apply a driving voltage to the constraint guiding layers (first and second constraint guiding layers), the electric field directly passes through this layer to excite the driving component, which is closely attached to it, to undergo active deformation; simultaneously, the conductive constraint layer, with its preset anisotropic mechanical properties, applies directional mechanical restraint to the deformation of the driving component.

[0095] The constraint guidance layers (first and second constraint guidance layers) directly contact the drive components for mechanical constraint, enabling more efficient and immediate energy-oriented transmission and deformation control. Since there are no flexible electrodes or other functional layers separating them, the microscopic deformation energy generated by the drive components under electric field excitation is directly and losslessly transferred to the constraint guidance layers, and is instantly guided and reconfigured by their anisotropic stiffness characteristics. This zero-gap physical coupling minimizes energy dissipation and delay at the interface, ensuring the immediacy and accuracy of the mechanical constraint response, thereby significantly improving the output density, response speed, and motion fidelity of the drive unit. Simultaneously, the simplified interface enhances the overall structural reliability, providing a crucial physical basis for robots to achieve more refined and human-like dynamic performance.

[0096] In some embodiments, the first flexible electrode layer and / or the second flexible electrode layer are configured as a stretchable mesh or serpentine conductive structure within at least one predetermined bending region.

[0097] In the first and / or second flexible electrode layers, for areas where the driving component is expected to be significantly bent or stretched during operation, the originally continuous electrode material is constructed into a mesh structure (such as a honeycomb or grid) or a serpentine conductive line using micro-nano fabrication processes (such as photolithography, printing, or laser cutting). This design does not change the material itself, but rather makes the electrodes macroscopically stretchable through geometric patterning. That is, when the underlying driving component deforms, the mesh or serpentine structure can adapt to the large-scale bending or stretching of the substrate through its own geometric deformation (such as mesh rotation or serpentine segment extension) without breaking or falling off due to insufficient material ductility.

[0098] The structural configuration provided in this embodiment solves the problem of difficult mechanical matching between flexible electrodes and drive components with large deformation requirements. Through the pre-set stretchable geometry, it ensures that the flexible electrode layer maintains structural integrity and stable conductive paths throughout the deformation of the drive component, thereby significantly improving the durability, motion consistency, and long-term reliability of the drive unit. At the same time, it enables the electric field to be applied uniformly in the bending region, avoiding drive distortion caused by local electrode failure, allowing the robot (especially parts requiring delicate bending movements such as the face) to achieve more natural, smooth, and sustained anthropomorphic movements.

[0099] In some embodiments, the constraint guiding component is integrated with the first flexible electrode layer and / or the second flexible electrode layer to form a composite functional layer that simultaneously possesses conductive and anisotropic constraint functions.

[0100] The integration of the constraint guidance component with the flexible electrode layer can include single-sided integration and / or double-sided integration.

[0101] In one embodiment, the single-sided integration may include fusing the first constraint-guiding layer and the first flexible electrode layer into a single functional layer through material composite bonding. For example, conductive filler can be embedded in a high-modulus oriented fiber-reinforced elastomer. Alternatively, the first constraint-guiding layer and the first flexible electrode layer can be fused into a single functional layer through an integrated structural design. For example, a microstructure with directional stiffness can be constructed on a conductive thin film. In this integration method, the integrated side (i.e., the functional layer side obtained by integrating the first constraint-guiding layer and the first flexible electrode layer) can apply an electric field and provide directional constraint. The other side (the independently configured second constraint-guiding layer and second flexible electrode layer) remains an independent functional layer, which is particularly suitable for applications requiring controllable bending or torsion, simplifying the structure on one side while retaining design flexibility.

[0102] In one embodiment, the single-sided integration may further include fusing the second constraint guiding layer and the second flexible electrode layer into a single functional layer through material composite fusion, or fusing the second constraint guiding layer and the second flexible electrode layer into a single functional layer through structural integration design. In this integration method, the integrated side (i.e., the functional layer side obtained by integrating the second constraint guiding layer and the second flexible electrode layer) can apply an electric field and provide directional constraints. The other side (the independently set first constraint guiding layer and the first flexible electrode layer) remains an independent functional layer. When there is a certain difference in stiffness between the first constraint guiding layer and the second constraint guiding layer, the asymmetric mechanical properties of the driving unit can be constructed through single-sided integration. The rigid integrated side can provide strong and immediate deformation suppression and guidance, while the opposite side (the side with weaker stiffness) realizes bending motion, thereby pre-setting a bending or torsional tendency at the mechanical level.

[0103] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a driving unit for a composite functional structure provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0104] Reference Figure 6 As shown, in one embodiment, the dual-sided integration may include fusing the first constraint guiding layer and the first flexible electrode layer into a first functional layer 40a, and fusing the second constraint guiding layer and the second flexible electrode layer into a second functional layer 40b, thereby forming two independent composite functional layers that simultaneously possess "conduction and constraint" functions. This achieves a complete simplification and performance leap in the drive unit in terms of structure and function. It completely eliminates the independent flexible electrode layer, achieving zero-interface, synchronized operation of electric field application and mechanical constraint on both sides. This not only makes the structure the most compact and reliable, but also ensures that the deformation of the drive component in both directions can be guided and converted most efficiently, thereby achieving a significant improvement in output density, response speed, and energy efficiency.

[0105] In some embodiments, the constraint guiding component is a structure with anisotropic stiffness for implementing anisotropic mechanical constraints.

[0106] In one embodiment, anisotropic mechanical constraints can be achieved by composite materials, such as directional embedding of high-modulus fibers or films in a flexible matrix, to form a laminated structure that is difficult to stretch in a specific direction but easy to deform in the vertical direction.

[0107] In another embodiment, microstructural design, such as machining periodically arranged corrugations, grooves, or honeycomb-like holes into the material, can be used to make it exhibit distinctly different resistance to deformation in different directions, thus achieving anisotropic mechanical constraints. Other shapes are also possible in other embodiments, and this application does not limit the shape.

[0108] In another implementation, anisotropic mechanical constraints can be achieved by directly constructing a mechanical device that allows movement in a specific direction while restricting movement in other directions through macroscopic mechanical structures such as hinges, flexible joints, or asymmetric grid frames.

[0109] The anisotropic mechanical constraints provided by the structures with anisotropic stiffness in the above-described embodiments can directly determine whether the final output is linear force, torque or bending force, thereby replacing complex multi-motor coordination or precise motion control algorithms in a simple and reliable purely mechanical way.

[0110] In some embodiments, the structure having anisotropic stiffness is a constraint layer having a mesh structure; the constraint layer with mesh structure is configured such that the equivalent tensile stiffness of the constraint layer in a first predetermined direction is lower than its equivalent tensile stiffness in at least one other direction, thereby achieving anisotropic mechanical constraint.

[0111] The constraint layer with a mesh structure achieves anisotropic stiffness through its specific geometric design: for example, its mesh units (such as holes) are arranged in slender elliptical or strip-shaped patterns along a first predetermined direction, or sparser rod connections are designed in this direction. This allows the mesh to easily extend through rod bending or hole deformation when the constraint layer is under stress along the first predetermined direction, exhibiting lower equivalent tensile stiffness; while in other directions perpendicular to or at a certain angle, the mesh is difficult to stretch due to structural continuity or dense rods, thus exhibiting higher equivalent tensile stiffness. This anisotropic constraint, achievable with a single material structure and with a precisely designed stiffness ratio, not only eliminates the risk of interface failure in traditional multilayer composite materials, but also allows the mechanical guiding characteristics of the driving unit to be flexibly "programmed" by adjusting the mesh pattern, thereby achieving lightweight, high air permeability, and better in-plane compliance while ensuring excellent constraint effects.

[0112] In some embodiments, the structure having anisotropic stiffness is made of a single intrinsically anisotropic material, wherein the Young's modulus of the intrinsically anisotropic material in a first predetermined direction is lower than its Young's modulus in at least one other direction.

[0113] In this design, when the confinement guiding component is composed of a single, uniform sheet of intrinsically anisotropic material, its anisotropic stiffness originates from the inherent molecular orientation or oriented crystal structure within the material. For example, this can be achieved using a polymer film or a specifically oriented liquid crystal elastomer film manufactured through a uniaxial stretching process. The mechanism for achieving anisotropic confinement lies in the fact that the material has a lower Young's modulus in a first predetermined direction, making it easily stretchable or compressible in that direction; while in at least one other direction perpendicular to it or at a specific angle, it has a significantly higher Young's modulus, thus rigidly suppressing deformation. This intrinsic difference in modulus allows the confinement layer to "allow" a certain degree of coordinated deformation along the low-modulus direction when the driving component attempts to expand, while "forcing" it to prevent deformation in the high-modulus direction, thereby guiding the output of the driving component to the first predetermined direction. Because the anisotropy is provided by the intrinsic properties of the material, this method eliminates the need for composite, lamination, or complex microstructure processing, completely eliminating the risk of interface failure between multilayer materials and ensuring high uniformity and long-term stability of the confinement performance. This design makes the drive unit structure extremely compact, robust, and consistent, making it particularly suitable for applications with extremely high requirements for reliability, lightweight, and miniaturization.

[0114] In some embodiments, a structure with anisotropic stiffness includes a plurality of discrete rigid constraint elements, which are distributed in a chain or strip shape along a first predetermined direction, thereby forming a continuous constraint path in a direction perpendicular to the first predetermined direction.

[0115] This structure achieves anisotropic constraints by flexibly connecting multiple discrete rigid constraint elements (such as miniature rigid plates or short rods) in a chain-like or strip-like manner along a first predetermined direction (e.g., via hinges or a flexible substrate). When the drive component deforms, the structure can bend or stretch like a chain in the first predetermined direction, exhibiting low equivalent stiffness; while perpendicular to the first predetermined direction, these discrete elements, due to their own rigidity and continuous arrangement, collectively form a nearly immeasurable robust "constraint wall," strongly suppressing deformation. This design cleverly combines local flexibility with overall rigidity, ensuring that the drive unit can freely output motion or adapt to complex curved surface installations in specific directions, while also ensuring high reliability and stability in key constraint directions. Thus, while achieving efficient mechanical guidance, it improves the geometric adaptability and structural durability of the drive unit for complex application scenarios.

[0116] In some embodiments, the constraint guiding component is a fiber reinforcement layer disposed on at least one flexible electrode layer in the flexible electrode assembly. High-strength fibers in the fiber reinforcement layer are arranged along a second predetermined direction, and the angle between the fiber arrangement direction and the first predetermined direction is less than a preset angle. For example, the preset angle may include 45 degrees. In other embodiments, the preset angle may also have other angle values, which are not limited in this application.

[0117] The design achieves constraint guidance by incorporating a fiber reinforcement layer on the flexible electrode layer: high-strength fibers (such as carbon fiber, aramid, or glass fiber filaments) are embedded or adhered to the surface of the flexible electrode layer (first and second flexible electrode layers) at an angle of less than 45 degrees along a second predetermined direction. When the angle between the high-strength fiber arrangement direction and the "first predetermined direction" requiring driving force is small, the fiber bundle can enhance the tensile stiffness of the composite structure perpendicular to the fiber arrangement direction, thereby effectively suppressing the expansion deformation of the driving component in this direction. Simultaneously, due to the relative sliding or bending of the fibers along the fiber arrangement direction, a low stiffness is maintained, allowing motion to be released along this "first predetermined direction." This design enables the flexible electrode layer to maintain its conductivity while possessing the mechanical properties of directional constraint. It not only achieves high structural integration and lightweighting but also enables precise and customizable design of the magnitude and direction of constraint stiffness through a simple and reliable fiber arrangement process, thereby ensuring more efficient and controllable driving output.

[0118] In some embodiments, the high-strength fibers are arranged anisotropically, enabling the drive unit to generate bending or torsional motion under electric field excitation.

[0119] By employing an asymmetric or directionally differentiated fiber arrangement strategy on the fiber reinforcement layers of the flexible electrode layers on both sides of the drive unit, direct programming of complex motions can be achieved. For example, fibers are arranged axially on one side of the flexible electrode layer to suppress lateral deformation, while the other side uses a mesh or diagonally arranged fiber arrangement to provide different constraint stiffnesses. This creates a controllable asymmetric stress distribution on the cross-section of the drive component under electric field excitation. Furthermore, if the fibers are arranged in a spiral or staggered pattern on the electrode layer surface, they can guide the material to produce uneven shear deformation. This anisotropic fiber arrangement essentially pre-sets a "motion code" in the mechanical structure, allowing a single electric field excitation to be decoded into a predetermined bending or torsional output. This eliminates the need for multiple independent actuators or complex transmission mechanisms to achieve delicate biomimetic motion, significantly improving motion performance and structural compactness.

[0120] In some embodiments, the drive assembly includes one or more inner cores made of an electro-actuating material; the flexible electrode assembly includes a spiral or mesh flexible electrode layer surrounding the inner core; and the constraint guide assembly includes a constraint guide sheath layer covering the outside, which is woven or spirally wound from high-strength fibers; wherein the drive unit is linear and has a circular or elliptical cross-section.

[0121] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a linear driving unit provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0122] Reference Figure 7 As shown, in one embodiment, the driving component is a slender inner core 701 made of an electro-actuating material. The outer side of the driving component is first covered with a mesh-like flexible electrode layer 702, and the outermost layer is a constraint guide sheath layer 703 woven from high-strength fibers at a specific angle. The cross-section of the driving unit formed based on the above-mentioned wrapping method is circular.

[0123] based on Figure 7 The driving unit provided in the illustrated embodiment features a flexible electrode layer 702 structure that closely conforms to the inner core 701 and extends with its deformation, ensuring uniform application of the electric field and a durable and reliable conductive path. The weave pattern of the constraint and guidance sheath layer 703 determines the stiffness distribution of the sheath layer in different directions, thereby precisely guiding the expansion deformation of the inner core 701 under the electric field and converting it into powerful stretching, contraction, or torsion output along the axial direction. This coaxially stacked linear structure combines extremely high space utilization, compliant morphological adaptability, and excellent mechanical guiding efficiency, allowing the driving unit to be flexibly embedded in confined spaces or complex mechanisms, like a biological tendon or muscle fiber, directly outputting rich and powerful biomimetic motion.

[0124] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another linear drive unit provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0125] Reference Figure 8 As shown, in one embodiment, the drive assembly consists of a slender inner core 801 made of an electro-actuating material. The outer side of the drive assembly is first covered with a mesh-like flexible electrode layer 802, and the outermost layer is a constraint guide sheath layer 803 formed by spirally winding high-strength fibers at a specific angle. The cross-section of the drive unit formed based on the above-mentioned wrapping method is elliptical.

[0126] based on Figure 8The driving unit provided in the illustrated embodiment uses a slender inner core 801 made of electro-actuating material as its core. First, a flexible mesh electrode layer 802 is tightly wrapped around its outer layer. This mesh structure can extend with the deformation of the inner core, ensuring a uniform and reliable electric field. The outermost layer is a constraint and guidance sheath layer 803, formed by spirally winding high-strength fibers at a specific angle (e.g., 45 degrees to the axial direction). This wrapping method naturally forms an elliptical cross-section. This non-circular cross-section design allows the sheath layer to have higher bending stiffness in the direction of the elliptical minor axis due to the denser fiber packing, thus providing stronger constraint on the deformation of the driving component in this direction; while in the direction of the elliptical major axis, relatively larger coordinated deformation is allowed. The drive unit based on this structure can directly "weave" anisotropic mechanical constraints into the main body structure of the drive unit by combining the winding angle of the helical fiber with the elliptical cross section. Under the excitation of the electric field, the expansion deformation of the inner core is efficiently guided and transformed into bending with a larger torque along the long axis or linear output in a specific direction, while achieving excellent compliance, structural compactness and drive efficiency.

[0127] In some embodiments, the driving unit is a continuous long strip prepared by a roll-to-roll process, and the continuous long strip is cut, folded and / or wound to form a target three-dimensional configuration.

[0128] This method involves continuously fabricating flexible long strips composed of layered functional materials using a roll-to-roll process, enabling efficient and mass production of drive units. Subsequently, based on the requirements of the target three-dimensional structure (such as a 3D mesh, biomimetic muscle bundles, or complex curved surface actuators), the long strip is programmed for cutting (e.g., cutting into specific shaped segments or notched stripes), precisely oriented for folding (e.g., origami-style configurations or layered assembly), and / or spatially wound (e.g., spiral winding or wrapping). This transforms the two-dimensional flexible strip into an integrated drive unit with a specific three-dimensional shape, pre-set internal mechanical guidance, and circuit connections. This fabrication method not only significantly reduces the manufacturing cost and process difficulty of complex drive units but also grants designers a high degree of freedom. By changing the two-dimensional pattern and folding / winding sequence, a wide variety of customized three-dimensional actuators can be flexibly and quickly realized, greatly expanding the application potential of this technology in fields such as biomimetic robots and wearable devices.

[0129] In some embodiments, the constraint guiding component is formed by a portion of the support structure that houses the drive unit, which provides anisotropic mechanical constraints on the deformation of the drive component through its physical form.

[0130] In this design, the load-bearing structure (such as the skeleton of a robot joint, the internal ribs of the face shell, or the mounting base of the actuator) is designed with a specific physical form (such as grooves, guide rails, or asymmetric cavities). When the drive assembly is installed, its free deformation space is predefined and limited by this form: for example, rigid sidewalls in the structure only allow the drive assembly to extend and retract along the groove direction, or use curved surfaces to force its expansion energy to be converted into bending motion. This design achieves the highest level of structural-functional integration. It not only completely eliminates independent constraint components, simplifying assembly and system complexity, but also deeply integrates the load-bearing structure and the drive unit mechanically, thereby ensuring the determinism and reliability of the drive behavior from the source, while greatly improving the compactness and space utilization of the overall structure.

[0131] In some embodiments, the drive unit further includes an encapsulation component covering the exterior of the drive component, the flexible electrode component, and the constraint guiding component, wherein the encapsulation component is a flexible insulating layer.

[0132] The encapsulation component, as the outermost flexible insulating layer (such as silicone or polyurethane coating), completely encapsulates and seals the drive component, flexible electrode component, and constraint guidance component. Its core function is to ensure the environmental robustness and functional integrity of the drive unit. This encapsulation layer not only effectively isolates the sensitive internal materials and circuits from external environmental factors such as moisture and dust, ensuring the long-term stability and reliability of the drive, but also ensures the coordination and consistency of the internal functional layers during deformation through its flexibility, avoiding failure caused by friction, peeling, or external mechanical damage. At the same time, the insulating encapsulation fundamentally eliminates the risk of external electrical short circuits, improving safety and enabling the drive unit to be directly applied to wearable devices, underwater environments, or interactive scenarios with stringent safety requirements, thereby greatly expanding its application scope and practical value.

[0133] In some embodiments, the Young's modulus of the encapsulation component in the bending region is configured to be lower than in other regions to form a flexible hinge that enhances bending durability.

[0134] In this design, flexible insulating materials with low Young's modulus (high elasticity, low stiffness) such as low-hardness silicone are used in areas where the drive unit is expected to be repeatedly bent. In other areas where shape stability and support strength are required, similar materials with higher modulus are used. This modulus gradient can be achieved through processes such as variable modulus injection molding, localized plasticizer doping, or UV gradient curing. Through this configuration of the encapsulation component, the low Young's modulus region acts like a flexible hinge during deformation, effectively dispersing and absorbing cyclic stress through a wider range of elastic deformation. This significantly reduces the risk of material fatigue and interface delamination, thereby improving the bending life of the drive unit. Simultaneously, the high Young's modulus region ensures the necessary rigidity of the overall structure, enabling this design to achieve a balance between durability and functionality through material distribution optimization alone, without introducing any additional mechanical components.

[0135] In some embodiments, the drive unit further includes a flexible strain sensor integrated within the packaging assembly or on the flexible electrode layer for real-time monitoring of the deformation of the drive unit.

[0136] This is achieved by embedding or directly printing / coating flexible strain sensors made of conductive nanocomposite materials (such as carbon nanotube / elastomer composites) or microcracked metal films within the encapsulation component. The process is as follows: when the drive unit deforms under an electric field, the integrated sensor stretches or bends synchronously, causing its electrical parameters, such as resistance or capacitance, to change continuously in proportion to the deformation. These changes are transmitted to an external processing circuit via pre-set flexible wires and are calculated in real time into precise deformation or position feedback signals. This setup eliminates the need for external, independent sensing systems that might interfere with motion or increase volume, enabling millisecond-level real-time deformation monitoring and feedback. This provides the possibility for high-precision position control, force control, and damage warning and adaptive control based on state feedback, significantly improving the intelligence, reliability, and application safety of the drive system.

[0137] In some embodiments, the drive unit is provided with a flexible or elastic anchoring interface for connection with an external structure. This flexible or elastic anchoring interface is specifically implemented as a connection structure integrally formed with the drive unit body or fixed by a flexible adhesive layer (such as a strap buckle, an elastic mesh base, or a connecting piece with a built-in flexible hinge). Its core function is to achieve stable and compliant force transmission between the drive unit and the external load-bearing structure. When the drive unit outputs deformation, this interface can adaptively coordinate the relative displacement and stress distribution between the drive unit and the external structure through its own flexible extension or elastic bending, thereby effectively eliminating early fatigue, interface peeling, or motion interference caused by stress concentration at traditional rigid connection points. This not only significantly improves the overall durability and reliability of the system but also ensures efficient and lossless transmission of the drive output force, enabling the drive unit to stably and smoothly drive complex or flexible robotic mechanisms without damaging itself or the external structure. This is a key guarantee for achieving long-term, high-performance operation.

[0138] The following specific embodiments illustrate the flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit provided in this application.

[0139] Example 1

[0140] This embodiment provides a basic drive unit based on fiber-constrained guidance. The layered structure of the drive unit from the inside out includes:

[0141] 1. Actuation Component: This component is composed of an electro-actuating material capable of active deformation under electric field excitation. For example, this electro-actuating material is an acrylic dielectric elastomer (such as the 3MVHB series), pre-stretched to 3-5 times its original size and then fixed. In another example, the material can be an ionomer-metal composite film (such as Nafion-based IPMC). In yet another example, a liquid crystal elastomer film or a conductive polymer film such as polypyrrole can be used. The thickness of this layer can be designed between 50 micrometers and 2 millimeters, depending on the required output force and deformation stroke. Furthermore, the actuation component can also employ a flexible electro-actuating material, which can be a modified high-performance composite material, such as a dielectric elastomer composite material with a biphase, bicontinuous microstructure. This type of material, by constructing a three-dimensional interpenetrating high-dielectric network within a flexible polymer matrix, can significantly improve the effective dielectric constant of the material while maintaining a low elastic modulus, thereby achieving greater actuation strain and higher energy density under a relatively low driving electric field, further enhancing the overall performance of the actuation unit.

[0142] 2. A flexible electrode assembly, comprising a pair of flexible electrode layers, namely a first flexible electrode layer and a second flexible electrode layer, which can be respectively and tightly disposed on the upper and lower opposing surfaces of a driving assembly. The electrode layers must possess good conductivity, flexibility, and interfacial stability between the electrode and the electro-actuating material. Exemplary electrode materials may include: coated or printed carbon paste or silver paste; carbon nanotube / graphene conductive networks obtained by spraying or transfer; embedded liquid metal (such as gallium indium alloy) microchannels; or physical vapor deposition of metal thin films. The shape of the electrode can be designed as needed to cover the entire surface or a specific pattern.

[0143] 3. Constraint Guiding Component: This layer is connected to the outer surface of the flexible electrode layer, specifically by bonding with a flexible adhesive or integral molding. Its core function is not to generate deformation, but to guide and convert the active, but possibly isotropic, in-plane expansion deformation generated when the driving component is excited by an electric field into a concentrated linear driving force, torsional torque, or bending torque along a first predetermined direction. In a preferred embodiment, this component is made of high-strength, low-elongation fibers (such as carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, or glass fiber monofilaments, bundles, or fabrics) woven at a predetermined angle or arranged unidirectionally, and embedded in a flexible matrix (such as uncured silicone) for curing to form a fiber reinforcement layer. The angle between the fiber arrangement direction (i.e., the direction of the main axis of the fiber bundle) and the "first predetermined direction" where the linear driving force is expected to be generated is designed to be less than 45 degrees, preferably less than 30 degrees, and best of all 0 degrees (i.e., perfectly aligned). When the fibers are aligned vertically in a single direction, the expansion of the drive assembly is almost unrestricted in the direction perpendicular to the fibers, but is greatly constrained in the direction parallel to the fibers, thus converting the expansion energy mainly into a linear tensile force along the fiber direction. When the two ends of the drive unit are constrained, this linear tensile force manifests as a contraction driving force that brings the constrained points closer together.

[0144] When a high-voltage electric field (e.g., 3kV) is applied between the upper and lower electrode layers, the drive unit thins due to Maxwell stress, attempting to expand isotropically in plane. Because the fiber reinforcement layer has an extremely high tensile modulus perpendicular to the fiber direction (i.e., the unit width direction) (primarily provided by the aramid fibers), expansion in this direction is strongly suppressed. However, the modulus is lower along the fiber direction (long axis), allowing the material to stretch relatively along this direction. Ultimately, the net deformation of the drive unit manifests as significant elongation along the long axis.

[0145] Example 2

[0146] This embodiment provides a basic drive unit based on fiber constraint guidance. This drive unit can be further enhanced with encapsulation components, sensors, and anchoring interfaces based on the drive unit provided in Embodiment 1, as detailed below:

[0147] Encapsulation component: This component covers the drive component, flexible electrode layer, and constraint guide component, serving to insulate, protect, seal, and provide an external mechanical interface and tactile feedback. The preferred material for the encapsulation component is biocompatible silicone rubber or medical-grade polyurethane elastomer. By adjusting the formulation and process, its elastic modulus can be controlled between 0.1 MPa and 10 MPa to simulate the flexible mechanical properties of human facial soft tissue.

[0148] To monitor the deformation of the drive unit in real time, flexible strain sensors (such as resistive strain sensors based on carbon nanotubes, capacitive strain sensors based on microcracked metal films, or optical fiber sensors) can be integrated into the packaged component or fabricated directly on the flexible electrode layer. The sensor signal is led out through flexible wires.

[0149] To facilitate connection with external robot structures, a flexible or elastic anchoring interface is provided at at least one (or both) end of the drive unit. This interface can be a ring-shaped, hook-shaped, or perforated lug structure integrally formed from the encapsulation component, or it can be a vulcanized or bonded flexible fabric strip, silicone buckle, etc. Its elastic modulus matches that of the encapsulation component to avoid stress concentration when connected to the flexible body, ensuring smooth force transmission and long-term operational reliability.

[0150] When a high-voltage electric field (e.g., 3kV) is applied between the upper and lower electrode layers, the drive assembly thins due to Maxwell stress, attempting to expand isotropically in plane. Because the fiber reinforcement layer has an extremely high tensile modulus perpendicular to the fiber direction (i.e., the unit width direction) (primarily provided by aramid fibers), expansion in this direction is strongly suppressed. The modulus is lower along the fiber direction (long axis direction), allowing the material to stretch relatively along this direction. Ultimately, the net deformation of the drive unit manifests as significant elongation along the long axis; if its ends are fixed via anchoring interfaces, a linear contraction force along the long axis is generated. The angle between the fiber direction and the first predetermined direction is 0 degrees.

[0151] Example 3

[0152] This embodiment provides a composite functional layer driving unit with an anisotropic conductive mesh, the specific structure of which is as follows:

[0153] The structure and function of the driving component can be the same as or similar to the driving component in Embodiment 1 above, and will not be described again here.

[0154] The flexible electrode assembly and the constraint guiding assembly can be integrated into a composite functional layer. Specifically, the constraint guiding assembly can be integrated with the first flexible electrode layer and the second flexible electrode layer to form a composite functional layer that simultaneously possesses conductivity and anisotropic constraint functions. This composite functional layer is a metal (such as silver) mesh pattern formed on a flexible substrate film through micro-nano processing (such as photolithography, laser direct writing) or directional coating technology. This composite functional layer simultaneously possesses conductivity and anisotropic mechanical constraint functions.

[0155] Regarding conductivity: The mesh-like composite functional layer itself constitutes a conductive path and serves as a flexible electrode layer for applying a driving electric field.

[0156] Regarding anisotropic stiffness: The mesh pattern is designed asymmetrically. For example, a sparse, elongated rhomboid mesh is used along the first predetermined direction D, providing lower axial tensile stiffness; while a dense, short, or wavy mesh is used in the direction perpendicular to D, providing extremely high lateral tensile stiffness, thus forming anisotropic mechanical constraints.

[0157] Based on the structure of the driving unit provided in this embodiment, when a voltage is applied, current excites the driving component through the grid electrodes. The driving component expands, but its deformation is immediately constrained by the grid-like composite functional layer: lateral expansion is strongly suppressed by the high-stiffness dense grid, while axial expansion is less restricted by the low-stiffness sparse grid.

[0158] It should be noted that the materials of the aforementioned mesh-like composite functional layer are not limited to metals; they can also be anisotropically arranged carbon nanotube films, graphene ribbon patterns, or conductive polymer patterns. The core principle lies in using a patterned conductive structure to impart anisotropic mechanical properties while maintaining electrical conductivity.

[0159] Example 4

[0160] This embodiment provides a driving unit with an insulating polymer mesh structure constraint and guidance layer, the specific structure of which is as follows:

[0161] The structure and function of the driving component and the flexible electrode component can be the same as or similar to the driving component in Embodiment 1 above, and will not be described again here.

[0162] Structure: The driving unit structure is formed with a dense array of strip holes by laser etching. The key design features are: along the first predetermined direction (the long axis of the driving unit), the strip holes are parallel and widely spaced (e.g., 200 micrometers), resulting in low equivalent tensile stiffness of the film in this direction; perpendicular to the first predetermined direction (width direction), the strip holes are designed as dense lateral connecting ribs (e.g., spaced 50 micrometers), resulting in extremely high equivalent tensile stiffness in this direction.

[0163] Fabrication and Integration: The etched polyimide mesh film is bonded to the surface of the upper flexible electrode layer using a silicon-based adhesive (approximately 0.1 mm thick). When the drive component expands due to power, its lateral expansion is strongly suppressed by the high-rigidity, dense ribs, while axial expansion can occur relatively freely through the large slotted space, thus achieving directional contraction. The key to this embodiment is that the mesh layer is a purely insulating mechanical constraint structure, unrelated to conductivity.

[0164] Example 5

[0165] This embodiment provides a driving unit for a constraint guiding assembly with an intrinsically anisotropic thin film, the specific structure of which is as follows:

[0166] Based on the basic structure of Example 1, the constraint guidance component is improved as follows.

[0167] Structure: The core component is a single, highly stretched, oriented ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) film (10-100 micrometers thick) as the constraint and guidance component. This film is prepared by a thermal stretching process, with the molecular chains highly oriented along the machine direction (MD), resulting in a Young's modulus along the MD direction (typically 80-120 GPa) that is much higher than the modulus in the transverse direction (TD) (typically 8-15 GPa).

[0168] Integration and Application: This UHMWPE film is bonded with its high modulus direction (MD) perpendicular to the predetermined shrinkage direction of the drive unit. This means that when the drive component expands isotropically in-plane, it experiences less constraint in the low modulus direction (TD, i.e., the first predetermined direction of the drive unit), allowing expansion to proceed; while in the high modulus direction (MD, i.e., the direction in which the drive unit needs to suppress expansion), it experiences extremely strong constraint. This solution eliminates the need for complex fiber weaving or patterning, achieving efficient constraint directly using commercially available intrinsically anisotropic films.

[0169] Example 6

[0170] This embodiment provides a driving unit with a constraint guiding structure having a discrete rigid lattice, the specific structure of which is as follows:

[0171] Based on the basic structure of Embodiment 1, this embodiment makes the following improvements to the constraint guidance component.

[0172] Structure: On the surface of the flexible electrode layer (as shown in the lower electrode layer), a series of miniature cylindrical rigid resin dots (e.g., 100 micrometers in diameter, 50 micrometers in height, made of UV-curable epoxy resin with a modulus of approximately 2-3 GPa) are arrayed using microdroplet printing or photolithography. The arrangement of these "rigid constraint elements" is designed: along a first predetermined direction, they are arranged in sparse single-row chains (dot spacing 300 micrometers, coverage 5-10%); in the transverse direction perpendicular to the first predetermined direction, they are arranged in dense multi-rows (dot spacing 50 micrometers, coverage 70-90%), forming a continuous "constraint wall".

[0173] In the current structure, when the driving component expands, it faces a continuous "constraint wall" composed of multiple rows of rigid points in the lateral direction, effectively limiting the expansion. In the axial direction, the sparse single-row lattice of points provides little resistance to expansion, allowing the material to stretch along this direction. These discrete points, through their dense distribution in specific in-plane directions, form a continuous constraint path on a macroscopic scale, but are locally discrete, helping to maintain the local flexibility of the substrate.

[0174] Example 7

[0175] This embodiment is a driving component with a three-dimensional shape and non-uniform thickness, which is intended to illustrate that the driving component and its constraint guidance design of this application have a high degree of morphological adaptability, are not limited to uniform sheet or filament shape, and can be customized in three dimensions according to specific application scenarios and spatial constraints.

[0176] The macroscopic shape and local thickness of the drive component can be designed in an integrated manner according to the geometric features of the biomimetic part, force output requirements, and integration space. The core is that, regardless of the overall shape, the "constraint-guided component" must adaptively provide corresponding anisotropic constraints based on the local principal strain direction of each region of the drive component to ensure that the deformation energy under electric field excitation is guided as a whole into the expected functional motion.

[0177] Taking the simulation of a biomimetic structure that requires strong local actuation and overall lightweight as an example, the actuation component can be designed as a three-dimensional component with non-uniform thickness.

[0178] 1. Main body area: Most areas are kept relatively thin (e.g., 0.5 mm) to ensure sufficient electric field strength and fast response under the applicable voltage.

[0179] 2. Localized Reinforcement Areas: In specific areas requiring concentrated output of greater driving force, the local thickness of the drive component can be increased (e.g., to 2mm), and the arrangement of high-strength fibers can be densified or the rigidity of the constraint structure can be increased accordingly. This design can improve localized force output capability without significantly increasing the overall volume and voltage.

[0180] 3. Constraint-oriented adaptation: The fiber-reinforced layer or integrated constraint structure will be arranged to fit this three-dimensional morphological surface. The fiber orientation or distribution of constraint stiffness will be customized according to the "predetermined deformation direction" of each local area to ensure the orderliness of three-dimensional deformation.

[0181] This embodiment demonstrates the strong design freedom of the drive unit structure of this application. It can be a simple sheet or filament, or a complex three-dimensional solid; its thickness can be uniform, or it can be gradient or locally reinforced according to mechanical requirements. This provides technical feasibility for directly shaping the drive unit into a "functional structural component" (such as an eyelid base with a certain contour, a knuckle filler block, etc.) that is closer to the shape of the final product. As long as the core collaborative principle of "active deformation of the drive material" and "directional guidance of the constraint structure" is followed, all these morphological deformations fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0182] Example 8

[0183] This embodiment is a drive unit for generating bending and torsional deformation. Based on Embodiment 1, the fiber arrangement of the constraint guide component (fiber reinforcement layer) is specially designed to achieve more complex motion modes.

[0184] Achieving unidirectional bending: The fiber reinforcement layer is designed as an asymmetrical structure on the cross-section of the drive unit. For example, a high-strength unidirectional fiber constraint layer is placed only on one side of the unit (such as the upper surface), while the other side (the lower surface) has no constraint or only a very weakly constrained flexible layer. When energized, the expansion of the strongly constrained side is severely restricted, while the unconstrained (or weakly) constrained side expands freely, causing the entire drive unit to bend towards the upper surface. This design can be used to simulate muscles that require bending movements, such as the orbicularis oculi muscle.

[0185] Achieving torsion: Fibers are woven or arranged in a cross-braid or spiral pattern at an angle of ±45 degrees relative to the long axis of the drive unit. When the drive assembly intends to expand, the cross-braid or spiral fibers constrain its expansion energy into shear deformation, causing the entire drive unit to undergo torsional deformation around its axis. By designing the fiber arrangement angle, density, and spatial distribution, the ratio of torsion angle to axial shrinkage can be programmatically controlled.

[0186] Example 9

[0187] This embodiment showcases the fully flexible, multi-layered composite structure of the drive unit, making its design inherently compatible with highly efficient continuous flat panel manufacturing processes, such as roll-to-roll processes. Based on this structure, large-scale, consistent production can be achieved by sequentially coating, patterning, laminating, and curing each functional layer (drive layer, electrode layer, constraint and guidance layer, encapsulation layer) on a continuous flexible substrate. This characteristic is a key engineering foundation for achieving low cost, high consistency, and mass production of the drive unit, highlighting its commercialization advantages.

[0188] Based on the basic planar configuration produced by the above-mentioned process, and its inherent full flexibility, the drive unit can be further shaped into various compact or functional three-dimensional configurations according to specific spatial constraints, mechanical paths, and functional requirements before being integrated into the final robot system. For example, it can be wound into a cylindrical or helical bundle to save radial space, or folded to adapt to acute angle installation locations, or pre-formed to fit the robot's complex biological surfaces (such as eye sockets and joint cavities).

[0189] Hinge zones are pre-planned at specific locations within the drive unit. Bending stress can be reduced in this area by thinning the encapsulation layer, introducing stress-relieving microstructures, or using gradient modulus materials.

[0190] The design of the constraint guiding components in the hinge area needs to be optimized simultaneously. For example, a flexible matrix with a lower modulus can be used, or the arrangement angle and density of high-strength fibers can be adjusted so that it can provide the necessary guiding constraints when bending, while avoiding interface peeling or fiber buckling failure caused by stiffness mismatch.

[0191] This ensures that the drive unit maintains the integrity of its electromechanical functions, the stability of its interface, and the overall durability of its service life under harsh dynamic operating conditions.

[0192] The drive unit in this embodiment is an advanced biomimetic drive carrier that integrates high performance, scalable manufacturing, extreme form adaptability, and high operational reliability. It transcends the limitations of traditional actuators with fixed forms, enabling efficient manufacturing and adaptability to ever-changing integrated environments through intelligent "form programming," while also allowing for enhanced design for dynamic missions. This provides comprehensive support from technical principles to engineering implementation for its successful application in a wide range of fields such as biomimetic robots, wearable assistive devices, and adaptive soft manipulators.

[0193] Example 10

[0194] This embodiment provides a linear driving unit, specifically a driving fiber bundle, the structure of which can be similar to... Figure 7 As shown or similar, this linear drive unit is suitable for scenarios requiring long strokes, high force density, and easy weaving integration.

[0195] The driving fiber bundle is elongated and cylindrical, with a diameter of up to 1.2 mm. Its structure, from the inside out, can include:

[0196] Electro-actuated core: a porous filament made of silicone doped with barium titanate nanoparticles (to increase dielectric constant) through a micro-extrusion process to increase the effective actuation volume.

[0197] Spiral flexible electrode layer: elastic yarn impregnated with silver nanowires is precisely wound around the inner core with a constant pitch (about 2 mm).

[0198] Constraint-Guiding Sheath: A tightly woven tubular sheath made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers at a braiding angle of approximately 20°. This sheath is crucial: its high strength inhibits radial expansion, its braided structure "guides" the expansion of the inner core into macroscopic linear contraction along the axial direction, and it is also the main body for force transmission.

[0199] This linear drive unit can be continuously manufactured through three processes: micro-extrusion, precision winding, and micro-braiding. Both ends can be molded into standard anchoring interfaces.

[0200] This linear unit can be used as an "artificial tendon" to directly weave muscles or perform linear traction, achieving the integration of driving, constraint, and force transmission.

[0201] In this embodiment, the diameter of the driving fiber bundle can be designed according to application requirements, typically ranging from 1 mm to 5 mm. For example, for fine facial muscle simulation requiring high flexibility and high-density integration, a finer specification of approximately 1-2 mm can be selected; for neck or limb drives requiring greater tensile force, a coarser specification of approximately 3-5 mm can be selected. The fabrication process is consistent with the aforementioned principle, and appropriately increasing the diameter helps to improve the yield rate and output force.

[0202] Meanwhile, by adjusting the diameter of the driving fiber bundle, the angle and material of the braided sheath, a balance can be struck between different performance indicators such as high output force, high response speed, and excellent bending flexibility, so as to flexibly adapt to a wide range of biomimetic driving scenarios, from micro-expression control to large-scale limb movements.

[0203] Example 11

[0204] This embodiment provides a drive unit that integrates constraint guidance function with load-bearing structure, as detailed below:

[0205] On the rigid skeleton layer or flexible load-bearing structure (such as a silicone substrate layer) of the robot's face, a guide groove with a rectangular cross-section and an aspect ratio greater than 5:1 is machined using a mold. The drive unit (containing only the drive assembly and electrode layer) without an independent fiber reinforcement layer, as described in Example 1, is embedded in this groove. The two long sidewalls of the guide groove constitute the constraint guide assembly. When the drive unit expands due to power, its lateral expansion is blocked by the rigid groove walls (high constraint stiffness), and it can only extend along the longitudinal direction of the groove (low constraint stiffness), thereby achieving directional deformation. This design simplifies the unit construction and reduces integration difficulty.

[0206] Based on the flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit provided in the above embodiments, this application further constructs a modular architecture and intelligent control system that is easy to integrate. Specifically, this application also provides a flexible electro-actuated robot drive module.

[0207] Modular integration: Multiple drive units can be fixed to a flexible load-bearing structure in parallel (force amplification), series (stroke amplification), or a combination thereof, following the anatomical direction of biomimetic muscles, to form a drive module with clearly defined functions. Anchor points, wiring channels, and insulation slots can be pre-set on the load-bearing structure to achieve rapid assembly, reliable insulation, and maintenance.

[0208] Sensing and Closed-Loop Control: By integrating flexible strain sensors, the drive unit or module possesses the ability to sense its own deformation. Combined with a local processor and drive circuitry, rapid local closed-loop control can be achieved at the module level, improving response speed and control accuracy.

[0209] Anthropomorphic Cooperative Control: At the system level, a machine learning-based expression-driven mapping model is used to transform high-level action commands into collaborative driving signals for multiple modules. By introducing anthropomorphic dynamic parameters such as start-up delay, relaxation, micro-jitter, and fatigue simulation, and combining mechanical coupling calculation to pre-compensate for interference between modules, highly natural, coordinated, and lifelike biomimetic motion is ultimately achieved.

[0210] The technology platform built upon the aforementioned principles naturally covers the application of facial expression actuation in robots, which demands extremely high realism, and has already demonstrated excellent results in areas such as eyebrows, eyes, cheeks, and mouth. Simultaneously, its core concepts of "constraint-guided actuation unit" and "bionic integrated module" possess strong versatility. By simply adapting the design to the mechanical and spatial requirements of the target area, it can be seamlessly extended to a wide range of applications requiring compliant, efficient, and bionic actuation, including the robot's neck, limbs, hands, and even torso, showcasing its platform potential as a core actuation solution for next-generation bionic robots.

[0211] The flexible electro-actuated robot drive module provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0212] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible electro-actuated robot drive module provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0213] Reference Figure 9 As shown, the driving module may include a flexible substrate 901 and at least one driving unit 902. The driving unit 902 may be a flexible electro-actuated robot driving unit provided in any embodiment of this application, and the driving unit 902 may be fixed on the flexible substrate 901 according to the biomimetic muscle direction.

[0214] In this driving module, multiple driving units 902 are arranged at specific angles and positions and fixed on a flexible substrate 901 according to the mechanical direction of the target biomimetic motion (such as facial expression muscle groups). The driving method is as follows: by independently or collaboratively exciting each driving unit 902 with an electric field, each unit produces linear expansion or bending deformation along its preset constraint guidance direction; these distributed, directional local deformations are integrated into smooth and complex macroscopic biomimetic motions (such as raising the corners of the mouth, opening and closing the eyelids, or bending the limbs) covering the entire module area through coupling and transmission of the flexible substrate 901.

[0215] based on Figure 9 The drive module provided in the illustrated embodiment can achieve a direct and efficient mapping from microscopic actuation to macroscopic motion by mimicking the distribution and coordination principles of biological muscles. This not only avoids the use of complex gears, linkages, and other rigid transmission mechanisms, fundamentally solving the problems of stiff robot movements, cumbersome structures, and high noise, but also provides natural deformation coordination and force transmission through the flexible substrate itself. This enables the robot to exhibit highly anthropomorphic, smooth, and expressive continuous movements, while greatly improving the scalability, maintainability, and energy efficiency of the drive system.

[0216] In some embodiments, the drive module includes a plurality of drive units, wherein at least two drive units are arranged in parallel to increase output force, and / or in series to increase deformation stroke.

[0217] Among them, multiple drive units can be flexibly combined according to requirements: when arranged in parallel, each unit outputs deformation force in concert under the same electric field, and their forces are superimposed, thereby significantly improving the overall output force and load capacity of the module; when arranged in series, the deformation displacement of the previous unit directly drives the next unit, forming a displacement accumulation effect, thereby greatly increasing the overall deformation stroke or bending angle of the module.

[0218] Based on the aforementioned series or parallel arrangement, by simply changing the mechanical connection between the drive units, modular and predictable linear adjustment of the overall output performance (force or displacement) of the module can be achieved without altering the materials and structure of the units themselves. This avoids the tedious process of redesigning complex individual actuators and allows for rapid customization and performance expansion based on actual application scenarios (such as those requiring strong gripping or extensive bending), thereby fundamentally achieving high performance, high flexibility, and low design cost for the drive system.

[0219] In some embodiments, the flexible substrate is pre-set with anchor points and wiring channels adapted to the anatomical structure of the human face.

[0220] Specifically, the flexible substrate features pre-set anchor points and wiring channels adapted to the anatomical structure of the human face. This means precisely setting flexible anchor points on the substrate to fix the drive units based on the origin, insertion, direction, and mechanical action of human facial muscles (such as the zygomaticus major, orbicularis oris, and orbicularis oculi). Microgrooves or interlayer channels are also planned for embedding electrode wires. In this structure, each drive unit flexibly connects to its corresponding anchor point on the substrate through its own anchoring interface, ensuring its output direction precisely aligns with the physiological contraction and expansion direction of the muscles. Simultaneously, all flexible electrode components are embedded within the pre-set wiring channels, forming a neat and protected internal circuit network.

[0221] Based on the above-mentioned anchor point and wiring channel adaptation method, it is ensured that the transmission path of the driving force fully conforms to the biomechanical principle, so as to reproduce delicate and coordinated facial expressions in the most direct and natural way. At the same time, the hidden wiring can reduce the impact of wire tangling, exposure or movement, greatly improve the reliability, service life and overall aesthetics of the system, and provide a key engineering foundation for creating a highly human-like and naturally interactive robot face.

[0222] In some embodiments, the driving module is configured to simulate the muscle movement function of the target muscle, wherein the similarity between the arrangement direction of the driving units and the physiological stretching direction of the target muscle is not less than a preset threshold; the target muscle may include human facial expression muscles.

[0223] In the current drive module, biomimetic functionality is achieved by installing each drive unit at an angle highly consistent with the physiological stretching direction of the target muscle. Specifically, when the preset similarity threshold is 80%, the average deviation between the main axis direction of the drive unit and the muscle direction is controlled within a small range, which can be achieved through standardized layout templates. This significantly improves the naturalness of the movement while maintaining good manufacturing economy and design tolerance. When the threshold is increased to 90%, high-precision positioning (such as digital mapping based on 3D scanning) is required to ensure that each unit is arranged closely to fit the real spatial vector of the muscle. This achieves force transmission efficiency and motion fidelity close to that of biological muscles, greatly reducing useless force components and energy loss. When a 100% extreme similarity is required, a custom design of the shape and layout curve of the drive unit is needed for each key muscle bundle, even simulating the feathered arrangement of muscle fibers. This effectively replicates the stretching characteristics of muscles from a biomechanical perspective, enabling the robot to present extremely delicate, coordinated, and efficient expressions or movements that are almost indistinguishable from those of a real person. However, this method has the highest manufacturing cost and complexity. This hierarchical design strategy provides a precise technical path for balancing performance, cost, and realism in different application scenarios.

[0224] It should be noted that this application does not impose specific restrictions on the value of the preset threshold corresponding to the above similarity, and it can be adjusted based on user needs.

[0225] In some embodiments, the driving module further includes a driving circuit electrically connected to the driving unit for outputting a driving electric field to the driving unit.

[0226] In one embodiment, the drive circuit can be integrated onto a flexible substrate or within a package. Its core function is to precisely and efficiently convert the low-voltage control signals from a future autonomous controller (such as a microprocessor) into a high-voltage driving electric field that can excite the electro-actuated material. Specifically, this circuit typically consists of a miniaturized DC-DC boost module, a multi-channel high-voltage switch array, and protection circuitry. It can output independently controllable high-voltage pulses or AC electric fields to different drive units according to preset timing and amplitude, thereby precisely programming the extension amplitude, speed, and coordination timing of each drive unit. This integrated drive circuit enables localized, intelligent, and highly efficient drive control. It not only simplifies system-level wiring and reduces signal attenuation and interference, but also optimizes the electric field application method through near-field dynamic adjustment. This improves drive response speed and energy efficiency while providing crucial underlying electrical control support for achieving complex, smooth, and expressive biomimetic motion.

[0227] In some embodiments, at least one magnetic connection surface is provided on the flexible substrate for detachable and rapid connection with an external functional layer via magnetic force.

[0228] This design utilizes a connection interface, constructed by embedding or surface-mounting flexible magnetic strips, magnetic particle composite materials, or micro-magnet arrays within a flexible substrate. This provides a non-destructive, rapid, and repeatable physical integration solution for drive modules and external functional layers (such as bionic skin, decorative skins, additional sensors, or protective covers). In use, simply placing the corresponding magnetic component on the functional layer close to the connection surface allows the magnetic force to automatically align and tightly adhere, achieving a stable connection. When replacement or maintenance is required, it can be easily separated without causing any physical damage to the flexible substrate or drive unit. The benefits of this design include significantly improved system modularity, maintainability, and scene adaptability: it allows robots to quickly switch between different appearances or functional layers, much like "changing clothes," meeting the needs for rapid transformation in entertainment, demonstration, or multi-tasking applications. Simultaneously, the non-rigid connection allows for minute relative displacement between the functional layer and the drive substrate, better adapting to dynamic deformation during the drive process and avoiding localized stress concentration or motion interference caused by rigid fixation, significantly extending system lifespan.

[0229] In some embodiments, the magnetic connection surface includes at least one of the following structural forms: a slot or boss pre-embedded or embedded with permanent magnet particles or soft magnetic material particles; a magnetic material layer formed on the surface of the supporting structure with a specific spatial arrangement pattern; wherein the external functional layer is a biomimetic skin layer, a secondary encapsulation layer or a sensing layer.

[0230] In one embodiment, permanent magnet particles (such as neodymium iron boron) or soft magnetic material particles (such as iron-silicon-aluminum alloy) can be uniformly embedded in slots or protrusions pre-set on the surface of a flexible substrate to form a flexible and uniformly magnetically distributed localized reinforcing lattice. In another embodiment, a magnetic material layer with a specific spatial arrangement pattern (such as a grid, concentric circles, or biomimetic muscle structure) can be formed directly on the substrate surface through printing, sputtering, or bonding processes. These structures can achieve rapid and precise automatic alignment and attachment with external functional layers (such as a biomimetic skin layer with corresponding magnetic distribution, a secondary encapsulation protective layer, or a functional layer integrating sensors) through magnetic attraction.

[0231] Based on the aforementioned magnetic connection method, different materials, colors, or functions of the skin can be quickly replaced to adapt to diverse scenarios without tools or damage to the main body. Furthermore, the flexible coupling characteristics of magnetic attraction effectively buffer the interfacial shear stress generated during drive deformation, significantly improving the system's durability and reliability during dynamic operation. At the same time, this detachable design greatly facilitates the maintenance, upgrading, and cleaning of the drive module.

[0232] In some embodiments, the magnetic connection surface is configured to provide both connection positioning and connection status sensing functions, and changes in its connection status can be sensed and fed back by the integrated circuitry.

[0233] When the external functional layers approach or adhere to each other, the magnetic material in the connection surface provides reliable adsorption force and physical positioning. Simultaneously, built-in sensing elements (such as resistance changes based on magnetic materials or Hall effect sensors) can detect changes in local magnetic field strength or distribution caused by variations in connection distance, contact pressure, or misalignment angle in real time, converting these changes into electrical signals and transmitting them to the integrated processing circuitry. This configuration enables the drive module to "sense" its own assembly status, automatically confirming whether the external functional layers are correctly installed, in place, or detached, and monitoring the stress state of the connection interface. This provides crucial information for automated assembly guidance, real-time diagnosis of connection reliability, and adaptive control based on contact status, significantly improving the system's intelligence, operational safety, and maintenance convenience.

[0234] In some embodiments, the driving module further includes a local processor for performing local closed-loop control on the corresponding driving unit based on the deformation of each driving unit within the driving module.

[0235] In one embodiment, the local processor (such as a microcontroller unit) can be integrated into a flexible substrate or package. It acquires deformation feedback signals from the flexible strain sensors of each drive unit in real time via a built-in analog-to-digital converter interface, compares these signals with a preset target deformation curve, and dynamically calculates the corrected drive electric field parameters using a closed-loop control algorithm (such as PID or model predictive control) running on the processor. This corrected parameter is then directly output to the corresponding drive circuit, enabling independent, real-time, and high-precision closed-loop adjustment of the deformation (displacement, velocity, or force) of each drive unit. By configuring a local processor, the control loop can be decentralized from the central controller to the drive module. This significantly reduces the computational and communication load of the main control system and shortens control latency. Furthermore, it enables the module to perform autonomous and rapid adaptive adjustments based on real-time mechanical feedback, thereby significantly improving the accuracy, coordination, and anti-interference capability of the overall action. This lays a crucial foundation for building a high-performance, modular, plug-and-play distributed biomimetic drive system.

[0236] In some embodiments, an insulating slot is pre-set on the flexible substrate, and the drive unit is detachably installed in the insulating slot through an anchoring interface. The inner wall of the insulating slot constitutes partial encapsulation and insulation of the drive unit.

[0237] The system features a pre-set insulating slot precisely adapted to the shape of the drive unit on a flexible substrate. The inner wall of the slot is made of a flexible insulating material (such as silicone or engineering plastic). During installation, the drive unit is conveniently embedded into the slot via its built-in flexible anchoring interface (such as a structure with barbs or flanges) using a "click" or "slide" method, achieving detachable mechanical fixation and electrical connection. In one embodiment, the inner wall of the insulating slot can tightly wrap around the non-working surface (such as the side or bottom) of the drive unit, naturally forming a physical encapsulation and electrical insulation, effectively isolating the risk of electrical short circuits between multiple adjacent drive units and between the unit and the external environment. This configuration improves the modularity, maintainability, and assembly reliability of the drive module. It allows for independent and rapid replacement or upgrading of individual drive units during production or maintenance without dealing with the entire complex lamination or overall encapsulation structure. Simultaneously, the pre-formed insulating structure ensures high consistency in encapsulation quality, physically eliminating performance fluctuations or safety hazards caused by uneven manual encapsulation. This provides a key engineering solution for achieving large-scale, high-reliability biomimetic robot manufacturing.

[0238] The following specific embodiments illustrate the flexible electro-actuated robot drive module provided in this application.

[0239] Example 12

[0240] This embodiment provides a driving module for simulating the "zygomaticus major" muscle in human facial expressions.

[0241] In this embodiment, multiple driving units can be integrated into a functional module simulating a single facial muscle. Specifically, the driving module may include a flexible base (supporting structure) adapted to the contour of the human cheek and three driving units prepared according to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, arranged in parallel and fixed on the base according to the physiological anatomical direction of the zygomaticus major muscle (obliquely from the cheekbone to the corner of the mouth). The flexible base has pre-set anchor points and wiring channels adapted to the anatomical structure of the human face. In addition, the flexible base also has pre-set insulating slots, and the driving units are detachably installed in the insulating slots through their anchoring interfaces to achieve reliable electrical insulation and rapid assembly. The first predetermined direction of all units is consistent with the direction of the muscle fibers. When an electric field is applied to the driving circuit, the three units contract collaboratively, jointly producing the effect of lifting the corner of the mouth, forming the basic movement of a smiling expression.

[0242] Example 13

[0243] This embodiment provides a quick-release drive module with an integrated magnetic connection surface. This drive module can be quickly, non-destructively, and repeatedly assembled and disassembled with the bionic skin layer or other functional layers, greatly improving the maintainability, customizability, and functional expansion capabilities of the robot. The specific structure is as follows:

[0244] Flexible substrate: The flexible support structure (such as a polyurethane matrix) of the drive module has pre-set insulating slots on its surface, and the drive unit is detachably installed in the insulating slots through its anchoring interface. Furthermore, the surface of the support structure is formed into a flexible magnetic array layer composed of micron-sized neodymium iron boron permanent magnet particles and an elastomer through in-mold embedding or subsequent printing / coating processes. This array can be arranged according to a preset pattern (such as a dot matrix or stripes) to form multiple independent magnetic connection regions.

[0245] Matching bionic skin layer: The corresponding position on the inner side of the corresponding bionic skin layer (silicone skin) is also made or embedded with flexible ferrite magnetic material or another set of permanent magnet arrays.

[0246] The magnetic connection surface can be designed in conjunction with existing anchor points or insulating slot structures. For example, a magnetic strip can be set at the edge of the slot to ensure that the skin does not slip in the plane (magnetic adsorption) and to achieve precise longitudinal positioning through the slot.

[0247] By bringing the skin layer close to the drive module, quick installation can be achieved via magnetic attraction, replacing the traditional time-consuming adhesive or vulcanization process. Furthermore, the skin layer can be easily peeled off for cleaning, repair, or replacement (such as replacing facial skin with different skin tones and textures), without damaging the module itself.

[0248] Functionality expansion: This interface is not only for connecting the outer skin. For example, additional sensing films (such as pressure-sensitive arrays), heating layers, or decorative layers can be quickly attached and integrated, enabling plug-and-play functionality.

[0249] Miniature Hall effect sensors or magnetoresistive sensors are integrated into the magnetic connection surface to monitor changes in magnetic flux in real time. The system can immediately detect and issue an alarm when the skin layer is accidentally lifted or not properly installed, enhancing safety.

[0250] This embodiment upgrades the drive module from a fixed execution component to an open, interactive functional platform. It solves the long-standing engineering pain point in bionic robots of "difficult to install and replace the skin," providing key technical support for realizing personalized robot appearance, modular functionality, and long-term maintainability, significantly improving product usability and user experience.

[0251] Example 14

[0252] The driving module provided in this embodiment adopts a biomimetic architecture of "active driving unit simulating muscle fiber contraction" + "passive constraint structure simulating bony support and skin guidance", as detailed below:

[0253] Bionic flexible support substrate: A flexible silicone substrate with a thickness of 1.0-2.0 mm is used, which is highly compatible with the curvature of the human forehead. Its elastic modulus (0.5-3 MPa) is adjusted to match the tactile and deformation characteristics of real human forehead soft tissue.

[0254] The inner side of the base (the side that conforms to the bony structure of the robot's face) is pre-designed with a series of biomimetic anchor points and force transmission paths based on the anatomical origin and insertion points of the frontalis muscle. Insulating grooves are machined on the base surface, allowing the anchoring interfaces of the drive units to be detachably inserted, achieving electrical isolation and precise positioning. Wiring channels are pre-embedded inside the base for routing and protecting the connecting wires between the drive units and sensors. Multiple drive units can be used as "artificial muscle fiber bundles."

[0255] Synergistic Compression Unit Group: This group simulates the compression effect of the more lateral fibers in the lower part of the frontalis muscle on the forehead skin. Two to three drive units are integrated at a certain angle or horizontally in the lower part of the basal forehead area (above the eyebrows). When these units contract, they mainly generate lateral compression force, providing active skin-converging stimulation for wrinkle formation.

[0256] All drive units are fixed to pre-set biomimetic anchor points on the base via their flexible anchoring interfaces, ensuring that the force transmission path is consistent with the mechanical chain of the real frontalis muscle.

[0257] An adjustable deformation-guided constraint structure is integrated into the flexible substrate in the key area where forehead wrinkles are formed (typically within 10-25mm above the eyebrows). This structure consists of 2 to 3 parallel, longitudinally embedded micro-slots or rails within the substrate. Each slot or rail contains a slider that can slide freely along the slot, and the slider is coupled to the "skin layer" above the substrate or the output end of the drive unit via a connector.

[0258] When the collaborative compression unit group is activated, driving the forehead skin to contract longitudinally, the sliders allow the connection points to move to accommodate the contraction, but strictly limit their displacement perpendicular to the skin surface (Z-axis direction). Under longitudinal pressure and with local vertical displacement locked, the skin material is forced to undergo regular, upward flexing and bulging in the "window area" between adjacent sliders, thereby actively and precisely guiding the formation of 1 to 3 clear, parallel forehead wrinkles and an eyebrow-raising effect. The spacing between the sliders is adjustable to control the density of the wrinkles.

[0259] Embedded within a flexible support substrate is a layer of pre-stressed, radially patterned biomimetic fiber mesh. This fiber mesh radiates outwards from a pre-defined "dominant wrinkle line" towards the hairline, brow bone, and temples. The fibers are made of fine, high-modulus polyethylene or liquid crystal polymer fibers, pre-formed through spinning or micro-weaving processes, and then integrally composited with the silicone substrate.

[0260] During wrinkle formation, the fiber network guides the uniform release of strain along the radial direction, resulting in smooth and continuous wrinkle lines that avoid local distortion or breakage. This highly replicates the wrinkle morphology of real skin caused by the guidance of subcutaneous connective tissue. It also enhances the overall tensile strength of the substrate and, upon release of the stimulus, effectively assists the forehead skin in quickly and smoothly returning to its initial state thanks to its elastic recovery.

[0261] Each drive unit has a built-in flexible strain sensor to monitor its own contraction and deformation in real time.

[0262] Miniature piezoresistive or capacitive thin-film pressure sensors are integrated near the slider of the deformation-guided constraint structure or in the key wrinkle-expected area to monitor local contact pressure changes in real time during the wrinkle formation process.

[0263] The module is equipped with a local microprocessor that receives feedback from all sensors. It runs a preset closed-loop control algorithm, which can independently and quickly coordinate the activation state of all drive units within the module according to the facial expression commands from the upper-level system, and make real-time fine adjustments to the wrinkle formation process to ensure the accuracy and naturalness of the output expression.

[0264] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a driver module array provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0265] Reference Figure 10 As shown, the drive module array 1001 may include a plurality of flexible electro-actuated robot drive modules provided in any embodiment of this application, and the plurality of drive modules are arranged in an array.

[0266] In some embodiments, the drive module array can be used to provide drive force to simulate complex facial expressions, such as quirky frowning expressions.

[0267] The drive module array consists of multiple independent, grid-like, flexible electro-actuated drive modules, each of which can be independently programmed and controlled. When simulating complex expressions such as a "strange frown," the array works collaboratively as follows: specific modules located in the brow, nasal root, and forehead areas are activated asymmetrically and asynchronously, outputting contractions, twists, or localized bending deformations of varying amplitudes, directions, and timings through their internal drive units. These subtle and differentiated local movements are integrated through the mechanical coupling of the flexible substrate, accurately reproducing complex and dynamic micro-expression details such as the downward pressure of the inner brow, the gathering of the nasal root skin, and asymmetrical wrinkles on the forehead. The core benefit of this array structure lies in its distributed, high-resolution collaborative drive, overcoming the limitations of traditional single-point or linear drives in representing complex, nonlinear facial expressions. It achieves full-spectrum, high-fidelity expression simulation from macroscopic large movements to microscopic micro-expressions, greatly enhancing the emotional expressiveness and naturalness of the robot's face.

[0268] This application also provides a robot that integrates at least two flexible electro-actuated robot drive modules as provided in any embodiment of this application; and / or drive module arrays.

[0269] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a robot control method provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0270] This application provides a robot control method, applied to a robot or drive module, as shown in the following embodiments. Figure 11 As shown, the method may include the following steps:

[0271] S1: Receive robot target action instructions;

[0272] S2: Parse the target action instruction into a target activation sequence corresponding to one or more action coding units;

[0273] S3: Based on the pre-stored mapping relationship obtained by analyzing real electromyographic signals and image data through machine learning, the target activation sequence is converted into a set of drive signal parameters for the flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit in a specific drive module;

[0274] The mapping relationship defines the association between the activation intensity and timing relationship between the robot motion encoding unit and the drive module;

[0275] S4: When generating drive signal parameters, introduce anthropomorphic dynamic parameters;

[0276] The anthropomorphic dynamic parameters include at least one of the following: start-up delay time, relaxation time, micro-jitter frequency and amplitude, and fatigue attenuation coefficient;

[0277] S5: Generate and apply a driving electric field to the corresponding driving unit according to the driving signal parameters;

[0278] S6: Real-time acquisition of deformation feedback signals from the drive unit or drive module;

[0279] S7: Compare the deformation feedback signal with the expected deformation corresponding to the target activation sequence, and dynamically adjust the driving signal parameters according to the comparison result to achieve closed-loop control;

[0280] Among them, the robot target action command can be a target facial expression command. Then, when the target facial expression command is parsed into a target activation sequence, mechanical coupling calculation is also performed to compensate for motion interference caused by the physical connection between different drive modules.

[0281] The robot control method provided in this application will be specifically described below through specific embodiments.

[0282] Example 15

[0283] This embodiment details the robot control method. This method can be implemented in a robot host computer or embedded main control system. Its core lies in establishing a precise, human-like mapping from high-level facial expressions and intentions to the coordinated driving of low-level muscle units, specifically including the following steps:

[0284] S1: Receive and parse target facial expression commands.

[0285] The system receives target facial expression commands from the user or the system. These commands can be high-level semantics (such as "smile" or "surprise") or a pre-processed sequence of facial action coding units. The system first parses the command into a standardized target activation sequence. This sequence consists of a series of facial action coding units and their corresponding target intensities and activation timings (including onset time, duration, and release time). For example, a "natural smile" might be parsed as: AU12 (corner of the mouth lift) intensity 75%, AU6 (cheek lift) intensity 40%, both activated simultaneously, reaching their peak within 0.5 seconds and then relaxing slightly.

[0286] S2: Mechanical coupling solution and pre-compensation.

[0287] Before generating the final driving command, the system performs mechanical coupling decomposition. Based on a coupling interference model established in advance through experimental calibration or finite element simulation, the system calculates the unintended traction movements that a driving module (such as the "zygomaticus major muscle module") will produce on its adjacent modules (such as the "nasal muscle module" or "orbicularis oris muscle module") when one of the driving modules (such as the "zygomaticus major muscle module") is activated, through a shared flexible base or skin layer. The solver pre-compensates the target activation sequence obtained in S1 based on this model. For example, to generate a pure "lifting the upper lip" movement, the system sends a small inhibitory command to the adjacent "nasal alar module" while driving the "lifting upper lip muscle module" to counteract the interference of being lifted along with it, ensuring the purity and accuracy of the facial expression output.

[0288] S3: Driver parameter transformation based on machine learning mapping.

[0289] The pre-compensated target activation sequence is converted into a set of driving signal parameters for each specific driving module (and its internal units) through a pre-stored neural network mapping model. This mapping model is trained by machine learning methods (such as deep learning) through correlation analysis of massive amounts of synchronously acquired high-density electromyographic signals from real faces, 3D facial motion capture data, and facial video images. It learns and establishes a nonlinear mapping relationship from the "physiological muscle electro-activation mode" (corresponding to AU) to the "bionic driving unit electro-activation mode". The converted parameters include: the target driving voltage / current amplitude, driving waveform (such as DC, pulse, sine), frequency, and phase for each driving unit.

[0290] S4: Introduce anthropomorphic dynamic parameters.

[0291] To make the robot's facial expressions and movements appear less mechanical, anthropomorphic dynamic parameters are programmed into the driving parameters before generating the final driving signal, including:

[0292] Start-up delay and relaxation time: Simulating nerve signal transmission and muscle viscoelasticity, an exponential transition that conforms to biomechanical laws is added to the rising and falling edges of the driving signal, rather than an instantaneous step.

[0293] Micro-jitter: Superimposing a specific frequency (e.g., 8-12Hz) and extremely low amplitude random noise into the drive signal to simulate physiological tremors that the human body cannot completely suppress.

[0294] Fatigue decay coefficient: When a drive unit is required to maintain high-intensity contraction for a long time, the system will introduce a slow, small-amplitude output decay to simulate muscle fatigue, or trigger a brief "relaxation and re-contraction" fine-tuning when the instruction allows.

[0295] S5: Generation and application of drive signals.

[0296] The drive control circuit generates high-voltage / low-voltage drive signals in real time based on the parameter set finally determined in steps S3 and S4, and applies them to the electrode layer of the corresponding drive unit through flexible wires.

[0297] S6: Closed-loop control based on real-time deformation feedback.

[0298] The system receives feedback signals in real time from the flexible strain sensors integrated within each drive unit to obtain the actual deformation. The actual deformation is compared with the expected deformation corresponding to the target activation sequence in step S1 to obtain an error signal. This error signal is input to an adaptive controller (such as a fuzzy PID controller) to dynamically adjust the drive signal parameters in step S3 (such as fine-tuning the voltage amplitude) to eliminate the error and achieve precise local or global closed-loop control. This step effectively compensates for material property drift, external disturbances (such as touch), and nonlinear coupling between modules, ensuring that the expression output is highly consistent with the expectation.

[0299] S7: Multi-module collaboration and state maintenance.

[0300] The main control system coordinates the activation and relaxation timing of multiple drive modules, processes continuous facial expression command streams, and achieves smooth facial expression transitions and dynamic maintenance.

[0301] The technical solution provided in this application achieves comprehensive innovation from drive components to intelligent control systems, and its beneficial effects are significant and hierarchical:

[0302] 1. A fundamental breakthrough in the traditional driving paradigm

[0303] This application abandons the rigid drive mode that relies on micro motors, gears, and linkages, and creatively proposes a drive unit of "constraint guidance + fully flexible electric actuation". It solves the inherent defects of traditional rigid solutions, such as stiff appearance, complex structure, and high noise. At the same time, it overcomes the core problems of uncontrollable output direction and difficulty in reliable integration of flexible actuators, and realizes a paradigm upgrade of drive technology.

[0304] 2. Achieving highly biomimetic and reliable integration at the hardware level.

[0305] The drive unit precisely converts material deformation into directional linear driving force or bending / torsional torque through constraint guiding components. Combined with fully flexible encapsulation and anchoring interfaces, it achieves smooth, low-noise, and durable motion. The drive module arranges its units according to human anatomy and, through designs such as prefabricated insulating slots, achieves high-density, modular, and easy-to-maintain integration on complex curved surfaces, laying a solid physical foundation for realistic facial expressions.

[0306] 3. At the system level, endow the system with anthropomorphic intelligence and collaborative capabilities.

[0307] By employing a collaborative control method based on machine learning expression mapping, anthropomorphic dynamic parameter injection, real-time deformation feedback closed-loop control, and mechanical coupling decomposition, the system can reproduce the subtle intensity, timing, linkage, and fatigue characteristics of real facial expressions, achieving highly natural, coordinated, and robust expression output, thus bringing about a qualitative leap in the robot's emotional expression.

[0308] 4. Possesses strong potential for platform-based expansion.

[0309] The core technology of this solution is highly versatile. By adjusting the arrangement of the drive units and the control strategy, it can be seamlessly extended to a wide range of fields that require compliant and biomimetic motion, such as the robot's neck and hands. It demonstrates its potential as a next-generation general-purpose platform for driving biomimetic robots and has broad application prospects.

[0310] In summary, this application represents a closed-loop innovation from principles and structure to control methods, providing a complete solution for constructing truly natural, reliable, and intelligent biomimetic robot motion systems. Specifically, it can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0311] 1. The drive unit is compliant and controllable, with high precision in biomimetic deformation.

[0312] The drive unit, with electro-actuated materials at its core and coupled with constraint-guiding components, can precisely guide electro-induced deformation into linear driving force or bending torque. By adjusting the arrangement angle and anisotropic layout of high-strength fibers, it can also flexibly achieve various forms of biomimetic deformation, such as bending and torsion. Meanwhile, the encapsulation components use biocompatible silicone or polyurethane elastomers, which combine elasticity and biocompatibility. The driving process is smooth and continuous, and the motion trajectory closely matches the contraction and relaxation patterns of human facial muscles, completely solving the mechanical and abrupt defects of traditional rigid solutions.

[0313] 2. The driver module has strong integration and is suitable for high-density facial deployment.

[0314] The drive module is designed based on biomimetic muscle pathways. Its flexible substrate features pre-set anchor points and wiring channels adapted to the anatomical structure of human muscles. Multiple drive units can be connected in parallel to increase output force or in series to increase deformation stroke, achieving precise simulation of a single skeletal muscle. Furthermore, the modular design with pre-set insulating slots enables rapid and precise assembly of the drive units and reliable electrical insulation, greatly improving the system's maintainability and reliability. Compared to the complex linkage transmission structure of traditional rigid actuators, this drive module is small and lightweight, allowing for high-density integration within a limited space.

[0315] 3. Intelligent control is anthropomorphic, with coordinated and natural expressions.

[0316] Through machine learning-based training of mapping relationships, human-like dynamic parameter injection, real-time deformation feedback closed-loop control, and mechanical coupling solution, the system can reproduce the subtle intensity, timing, linkage, and fatigue characteristics in real motion. It achieves highly human-like intelligent control from macro-expression commands to micro-muscle unit collaborative activation, resulting in highly natural and coordinated facial expression output.

[0317] 4. The fully flexible architecture is low-noise and durable, offering excellent user experience and scalability.

[0318] The drive unit and modules adopt a fully flexible electro-actuated architecture with no rigid moving parts, resulting in near-silent operation and excellent impact resistance and durability, making it ideal for close-range human-machine interaction scenarios. Furthermore, the fully flexible structure design of the drive unit supports efficient manufacturing processes such as roll-to-roll and allows for 3D configuration design before packaging, greatly improving the feasibility of large-scale production and integration adaptability across different scenarios. This technical solution is compatible with various electro-actuated materials and is not only suitable for robot facial expression actuation; its core drive unit and integration concept can also be extended to bionic parts requiring compliant movement, such as the neck and hands, demonstrating strong platform expansion potential.

[0319] It should be specifically noted that this application protects a constraint-guided biomimetic drive architecture and its working principle. The shapes (such as rectangular sheets, circular filaments) and their dimensions shown in the accompanying drawings and embodiments are merely illustrative of the principle and are not intended to limit this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that the specific macroscopic form, size, absolute thickness, and cross-sectional shape of the drive components and constraint-guided components can be widely adapted to the spatial constraints, mechanical output requirements (force, stroke, speed), and integration methods in actual robot application scenarios, including but not limited to planar, curved, three-dimensional solid, non-uniform thickness, and locally reinforced forms. All of these are based on the same inventive concept, namely, guiding the active deformation of the electro-actuated material into directional mechanical output through the constraint-guided components, and all fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0320] The methods provided in the embodiments of this application can be implemented, in whole or in part, by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, they can be implemented, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The usable medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., digital video disc (DVD)), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state disk (SSD)). The above description and embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A flexible electro-actuated robotic drive module, characterized in that, include: A flexible substrate and at least one flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit, wherein the at least one flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit is fixed on the flexible substrate according to the biomimetic muscle direction; The flexible electrically actuated robot drive unit includes: The drive component is made of an electro-actuating material that can undergo active deformation under electric field excitation; Flexible electrode assembly for applying a driving electric field; The constraint guiding component is configured to provide anisotropic mechanical constraints on the deformation of the drive component, such that the active deformation of the drive component under electric field excitation is guided and converted into a linear driving force, torsional moment or bending moment along a first predetermined direction. Among them, an adjustable deformation guiding constraint structure is integrated in the key area corresponding to the formation of forehead wrinkles on the flexible substrate. The adjustable deformation guiding constraint structure consists of 2 to 3 parallel and longitudinal micro slots or guide rails embedded in the flexible substrate. Each micro slot or guide rail is provided with a slider that can slide freely along the slot. The slider is coupled to the output end of the flexible electro-actuated robot drive unit above the flexible substrate through a connector.

2. The drive module of claim 1, wherein, The constraint guiding component is a structure with anisotropic stiffness, used to realize the anisotropic mechanical constraint.

3. The drive module of claim 2, wherein, The structure with anisotropic stiffness is a constraint layer with a mesh structure; the constraint layer with the mesh structure is configured such that the equivalent tensile stiffness of the constraint layer in the first predetermined direction is lower than the equivalent tensile stiffness in at least one other direction, thereby achieving the anisotropic mechanical constraint.

4. Drive module according to any of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The constraint guiding component is a fiber reinforcement layer disposed on at least one flexible electrode layer in the flexible electrode assembly, wherein the high-strength fibers in the fiber reinforcement layer are arranged along a second predetermined direction.

5. The driving module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The structure with anisotropic stiffness is made of a single intrinsically anisotropic material, and the Young's modulus of the intrinsically anisotropic material in the first predetermined direction is lower than its Young's modulus in at least one other direction.

6. The driving module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The structure with anisotropic stiffness includes multiple discrete rigid constraint elements, which are distributed in a chain or strip shape along the first predetermined direction, thereby forming a continuous constraint path in a direction perpendicular to the first predetermined direction.

7. The driving module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The flexible electrode assembly includes a first flexible electrode layer and a second flexible electrode layer; wherein the first flexible electrode layer and the second flexible electrode layer are respectively disposed on both sides of the driving assembly, for applying the driving electric field to the driving assembly; The constraint guidance component includes a first constraint guidance layer and a second constraint guidance layer, wherein the density of the first constraint guidance layer is greater than that of the second constraint guidance layer; Wherein, in the first direction of the driving component, the driving component, the first flexible electrode layer, and the first constraint guiding layer are stacked sequentially, and in the second direction of the driving component, the driving component, the second flexible electrode layer, and the second constraint guiding layer are stacked sequentially; or In a first direction of the driving component, the driving component, the first constraint guiding layer, and the first flexible electrode layer are stacked sequentially, and in a second direction of the driving component, the driving component, the second constraint guiding layer, and the second flexible electrode layer are stacked sequentially. Wherein, both the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to the axial direction of the drive component.

8. The driving module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first flexible electrode layer and / or the second flexible electrode layer are configured as a stretchable mesh or serpentine conductive structure in at least one predetermined bending region.

9. The driving module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The constraint guiding component is integrated with the first flexible electrode layer and / or the second flexible electrode layer to form a composite functional layer that simultaneously possesses conductive and anisotropic constraint functions.

10. The driving module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The drive assembly includes one or more cores made of the electro-actuating material; The flexible electrode assembly includes a spiral or mesh-like flexible electrode layer surrounding the inner core; and The constraint guidance component includes a constraint guidance sheath layer made of high-strength fiber woven on the outside; The driving unit is linear and has a circular or elliptical cross-section.

11. The driving module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The driving unit is a continuous long strip prepared by a roll-to-roll process, and the continuous long strip is cut, folded and / or wound to form a target three-dimensional configuration.

12. The driving module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive module includes a plurality of drive units, wherein at least two drive units are arranged in parallel and / or in series.

13. The driving module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive module is configured to simulate the muscle movement function of the target muscle, and the similarity between the arrangement direction of the drive unit and the physiological contraction and extension direction of the target muscle is not less than a preset threshold.

14. The driving module according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a local processor for performing local closed-loop control of the corresponding drive units based on the deformation of each drive unit within the drive module.

15. A robot, characterized in that, It integrates at least two flexible electro-actuated robot drive modules as described in any one of claims 1-14.

16. A robot control method, applied to the robot of claim 15, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Receive robot target action instructions; The target action instruction is parsed into a target activation sequence corresponding to one or more action coding units; Based on the pre-stored mapping relationship obtained by analyzing real electromyography signals and image data through machine learning, the target activation sequence is converted into a set of driving signal parameters for the flexible electro-actuated robot driving unit in a specific driving module. The mapping relationship defines the association between the activation intensity and temporal relationship between the robot motion encoding unit and the driving module. When generating drive signal parameters, anthropomorphic dynamic parameters are introduced, including at least one of the following: start-up delay time, relaxation time, micro-jitter frequency and amplitude, and fatigue attenuation coefficient; A driving electric field is generated and applied to the corresponding driving unit based on the driving signal parameters; Real-time acquisition of deformation feedback signals from the drive unit or drive module; The deformation feedback signal is compared with the expected deformation corresponding to the target activation sequence, and the driving signal parameters are dynamically adjusted according to the comparison result to achieve closed-loop control. In the process of parsing the target facial expression command into the target activation sequence, mechanical coupling calculation is also performed to compensate for motion interference caused by the physical connection between different driving modules.

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