Soft Smart Driving Device Using Dielectric Elastomer Intrinsic Strain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robots with rigid structures face issues such as malposition, damage, noise, slow speed, and weakness against external pressures and shocks due to their rigid transmission parts and limited lubrication, while existing flexible robots using shape memory alloys or dielectric elastomers suffer from slow speed and inflexible steering.
Innovation Solution
A flexible and soft smart driving device driven by intrinsic strain of intelligent soft materials like dielectric elastomers, which utilize self-relaxation and self-contraction to creep without transmission mechanisms, featuring a soft frame with no rigid interconnecting parts, and employing high voltage to induce deformation for autonomous movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid structures with transmission parts are used, then structural strength is improved, but resistance to external pressing and shocking deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible robot body composed of soft materials that can deform under external pressure and shock, eliminating rigid frames and transmission parts. The flexible structure absorbs external forces through deformation rather than resistance, thereby improving reliability under external pressing and shocking while maintaining sufficient structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical transmission systems (gears, chains, rigid linkages) with a direct soft-material actuation system. The robot body itself serves as the actuator through intrinsic strain of intelligent soft materials, eliminating the need for rigid transmission components and reducing vulnerability to external forces.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid transmission parts are used, then structural stability is improved, but noise generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible robot body made of soft materials operates without rigid transmission parts, eliminating the friction and impact noise generated by gears, chains, and other mechanical components. The soft material deformation produces minimal acoustic noise while maintaining structural stability through elastic recovery.
3Adaptability or versatility
If shape memory alloy springs are used for actuation, then flexibility is improved, but creeping speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the actuation mechanism from shape memory alloy springs to intelligent soft materials with controllable intrinsic strain. By applying external stimuli (electric field, magnetic field, thermal field, or optical field) to the intelligent soft material, the robot achieves rapid and controllable deformation, significantly improving creeping speed while maintaining flexibility.
4Force
If dielectric elastomer membranes with rigid frames are used, then actuation capability is improved, but resistance to external pressing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates rigid frames from the dielectric elastomer membrane structure, creating a fully flexible robot body. The soft material construction allows the robot to withstand external pressing and shock by deforming and recovering, while the dielectric elastomer membrane retains its actuation capability through electric field-induced deformation.
5Ease of operation
If transmission mechanisms are used for creeping, then movement control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates transmission mechanisms (gears, turbines, worms, chains, connecting rods) from the robot structure. The flexible robot body achieves creeping movement directly through intrinsic strain of the intelligent soft material, simplifying the device structure while maintaining controllable movement through external field application.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device achieves high resistance to external pressures and shocks, low noise, and fast creeping speed with agile direction changes, while maintaining a lightweight and simple structure, capable of operating in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
the driving structure uses a membrane constitution comprising two pieces of pre-stretched protecting membrane 6 attached to both sides of the driving membranes 21 respectively... by applying high voltage (usually 6 kV-9 kV) to the flexible and soft smart driving device to make it produce deformation
Implementation Method 2
the intelligent soft material is chosen from dielectric elastomer (DE)... the intrinsic strain refers to that the material can produce deformation under external stimuli... This kind of deformation doesn't depend on the external mechanical loading
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible and soft smart driving device comprises a flexible frame, a driving mechanism and a creeping structure. The driving mechanism uses an intrinsic strain of an intelligent soft material to generate a driving force. A creeping structure is used to implement autonomous activities of the flexible and soft smart driving device. The driving mechanism and the creeping structure are attached to the flexible frame. The driving mechanism generates the driving force by contraction and relaxation of a driving membrane. The flexible and soft smart driving device is made from flexible materials and has advantages of good creeping speed, flexible control, small noise and high human body compatibility.