Biomimetic Robotic Artificial Muscles


Book Description

Biomimetic Robotic Artificial Muscles presents a comprehensive up-to-date overview of several types of electroactive materials with a view of using them as biomimetic artificial muscles. The purpose of the book is to provide a focused, in-depth, yet self-contained treatment of recent advances made in several promising EAP materials. In particular, ionic polymer-metal composites, conjugated polymers, and dielectric elastomers are considered. Manufacturing, physical characterization, modeling, and control of the materials are presented. Namely, the book adopts a systems perspective to integrate recent developments in material processing, actuator design, control-oriented modeling, and device and robotic applications. While the main focus is on the new developments in these subjects, an effort has been made throughout the book to provide the reader with general, basic information about the materials before going into more advanced topics. As a result, the book is very much self-contained and expected to be accessible for a reader who does not have background in EAPs.Based on the good fundamental knowledge and the versatility of the materials, several promising biomimetic and robotic applications such robotic fish propelled by an IPMC tail, an IPMC energy harvester, an IPMC-based valveless pump, a conjugated polymer petal-driven micropump, and a synthetic elastomer actuator-enabled robotic finger are demonstrated.




Ionic Polymer Metal Composites for Sensors and Actuators


Book Description

This book discusses the fundamental of bending actuation with a focus on ionic metal composites. It describes the applications of ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuators, from conventional robotic systems to compliant micro robotic systems used to handle the miniature and fragile components during robotic micro assembly. It also presents mathematical modelings of actuators for engineering, biomedical, medical and environmental systems. The fundamental relation of IPMC actuators to the biomimetic systems are also included.




Artificial Muscles


Book Description

Smart materials are the way of the future in a variety of fields, from biomedical engineering and chemistry to nanoscience, nanotechnology, and robotics. Featuring an interdisciplinary approach to smart materials and structures, this second edition of Artificial Muscles: Applications of Advanced Polymeric Nanocomposites has been fully updated to thoroughly review the latest knowledge of ionic polymeric conductor nanocomposites (IPCNCs), including ionic polymeric metal nanocomposites (IPMNCs) as biomimetic distributed nanosensors, nanoactuators, nanotransducers, nanorobots, artificial muscles, and electrically controllable intelligent polymeric network structures. Authored by one of the founding fathers of the field, the book introduces fabrication and manufacturing methods of several electrically and chemically active ionic polymeric sensors, actuators, and artificial muscles, as well as a new class of electrically active polymeric nanocomposites and artificial muscles. It also describes a few apparatuses for modeling and testing various artificial muscles to show the viability of chemoactive and electroactive muscles. It presents the theories, modeling, and numerical simulations of ionic polymeric artificial muscles’ electrodynamics and chemodynamics and features current industrial and medical applications of IPMNCs. By covering the fabrication techniques of and novel developments in advanced polymeric nanocomposites, this second edition continues to provides an accessible yet solid foundation to the subject while stimulating further research. Key features: Fully up to date with the latest cutting-edge discoveries in the field Authored by a world expert in the subject area Explores the exciting and growing topic of smart materials in medicine Mohsen Shahinpoor is Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maine and a leading expert in artificial muscles.




Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites


Book Description

This book focuses on electro active polymer material known as Ionic Polymer Metal Composite (IPMC) having unique applicability as sensor and actuator which finds extensive use in various domain of engineering and science research. Apart from fundamentals of the IPMC concept, various applications are covered extensively across the chapters including space, underwater and nanoscale, including manufacturing processes. Dedicated chapters are included for robotics and biomedical applications and possible research gaps. Future research perspectives for IPMC are also discussed. Features: Covers principle of Ionic Polymer Metal Composite (IPMC), manufacturing processes, applications, and future possibilities in a systematic manner Highlights IPMC practical applicability in biomedical engineering domain Explores Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) based IPMC soft actuators Discusses IPMC applications in underwater areas Includes IPMC application in robotics focusing on special compliant mechanism This book is aimed toward researchers, graduate students and professionals in materials and mechanical engineering, robotics, mechatronics, biomedical engineering, and physics.




Electroactive Polymer (EAP) Actuators as Artificial Muscles


Book Description

Covers the field of EAP with attention to all aspects and full infrastructure, including the available materials, analytical models, processing techniques, and characterization methods. This second edition covers advances in EAP in electric EAP, electroactive polymer gels, ionomeric polymer-metal composites, and carbon nanotube actuators.










Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IMPCs)


Book Description

A comprehensive resource on ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) edited by the leading authority on the subject.




Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMCs)


Book Description

Ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) can generate a voltage when physically deformed. Conversely, an applied small voltage or electrical field can induce an array of spectacular large deformation or actuation behaviours in IPMCs, such as bending, twisting, rolling, twirling, steering and undulating. An important smart material, IPMCs have applications in energy harvesting and as self-powered strain or deformation sensors, they are especially suitable for monitoring the shape of dynamic structures. Other uses include soft actuation applications and as a material for biomimetic robotic soft artificial muscles in industrial and medical contexts. This comprehensive volume on ionic polymer metal composites provides a broad coverage of the state of the art and recent advances in the field written by some of the world’s leading experts on various characterizations and modeling of IPMCs. Topics covered in this two volume set include uses in electrochemically active electrodes, electric energy storage devices, soft biomimetic robotics artificial muscles, multiphysics modeling of IPMCs, biomedical applications, IPMCs as dexterous manipulators and tactile sensors for minimally invasive robotic surgery, self-sensing, miniature pumps for drug delivery, IPMC snake-like robots, IPMC microgrippers for microorganisms manipulations, Graphene-based IPMCs and cellulose-based IPMCs or electroactive paper actuators (EAPap). Edited by the leading authority on IMPCs, the broad coverage will appeal to researchers from chemistry, materials, engineering, physics and medical communities interested in both the material and its applications.