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Roshan U, Mudugamuwa A, Cha H, Hettiarachchi S, Zhang J, Nguyen NT. Actuation for flexible and stretchable microdevices. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:2146-2175. [PMID: 38507292 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc01086d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Flexible and stretchable microdevices incorporate highly deformable structures, facilitating precise functionality at the micro- and millimetre scale. Flexible microdevices have showcased extensive utility in the fields of biomedicine, microfluidics, and soft robotics. Actuation plays a critical role in transforming energy between different forms, ensuring the effective operation of devices. However, when it comes to actuating flexible microdevices at the small millimetre or even microscale, translating actuation mechanisms from conventional rigid large-scale devices is not straightforward. The recent development of actuation mechanisms leverages the benefits of device flexibility, particularly in transforming conventional actuation concepts into more efficient approaches for flexible devices. Despite many reviews on soft robotics, flexible electronics, and flexible microfluidics, a specific and systematic review of the actuation mechanisms for flexible and stretchable microdevices is still lacking. Therefore, the present review aims to address this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art actuation mechanisms for flexible and stretchable microdevices. We elaborate on the different actuation mechanisms based on fluid pressure, electric, magnetic, mechanical, and chemical sources, thoroughly examining and comparing the structure designs, characteristics, performance, advantages, and drawbacks of these diverse actuation mechanisms. Furthermore, the review explores the pivotal role of materials and fabrication techniques in the development of flexible and stretchable microdevices. Finally, we summarise the applications of these devices in biomedicine and soft robotics and provide perspectives on current and future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uditha Roshan
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
| | - Amith Mudugamuwa
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
| | - Haotian Cha
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
| | - Samith Hettiarachchi
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
- School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Nam-Trung Nguyen
- Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
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Reynolds MF, Miskin MZ. Materials for electronically controllable microactuators. MRS BULLETIN 2024; 49:107-114. [PMID: 38435786 PMCID: PMC10907459 DOI: 10.1557/s43577-024-00665-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Abstract Electronically controllable actuators have shrunk to remarkably small dimensions, thanks to recent advances in materials science. Currently, multiple classes of actuators can operate at the micron scale, be patterned using lithographic techniques, and be driven by complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible voltages, enabling new technologies, including digitally controlled micro-cilia, cell-sized origami structures, and autonomous microrobots controlled by onboard semiconductor electronics. This field is poised to grow, as many of these actuator technologies are the firsts of their kind and much of the underlying design space remains unexplored. To help map the current state of the art and set goals for the future, here, we overview existing work and examine how key figures of merit for actuation at the microscale, including force output, response time, power consumption, efficiency, and durability are fundamentally intertwined. In doing so, we find performance limits and tradeoffs for different classes of microactuators based on the coupling mechanism between electrical energy, chemical energy, and mechanical work. These limits both point to future goals for actuator development and signal promising applications for these actuators in sophisticated electronically integrated microrobotic systems. Graphical Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F. Reynolds
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Marc Z. Miskin
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
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Pecnik Bambic M, Araújo NAM, Walker BJ, Hewitt DR, Pei QX, Ni R, Volpe G. Optimal face-to-face coupling for fast self-folding kirigami. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:1114-1119. [PMID: 38224143 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01474f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Kirigami-inspired designs can enable self-folding three-dimensional materials from flat, two-dimensional sheets. Hierarchical designs of connected levels increase the diversity of possible target structures, yet they can lead to longer folding times in the presence of fluctuations. Here, we study the effect of rotational coupling between levels on the self-folding of two-level kirigami designs driven by thermal noise in a fluid. Naturally present due to hydrodynamic resistance, we find that this coupling parameter can significantly impact a structure's self-folding pathway, thus enabling us to assess the quality of a kirigami design and the possibility for its optimization in terms of its folding rate and yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maks Pecnik Bambic
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AJ London, UK.
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, Singapore
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459, Singapore
| | - Nuno A M Araújo
- Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Centro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Benjamin J Walker
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
- Department of Mathematics, University College London, Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AY, UK
| | - Duncan R Hewitt
- Department of Mathematics, University College London, Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AY, UK
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, CB3 0WA, UK
| | - Qing Xiang Pei
- Institute of High Performance Computing, A*STAR, Singapore
| | - Ran Ni
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459, Singapore
| | - Giorgio Volpe
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AJ London, UK.
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Bo R, Xu S, Yang Y, Zhang Y. Mechanically-Guided 3D Assembly for Architected Flexible Electronics. Chem Rev 2023; 123:11137-11189. [PMID: 37676059 PMCID: PMC10540141 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Architected flexible electronic devices with rationally designed 3D geometries have found essential applications in biology, medicine, therapeutics, sensing/imaging, energy, robotics, and daily healthcare. Mechanically-guided 3D assembly methods, exploiting mechanics principles of materials and structures to transform planar electronic devices fabricated using mature semiconductor techniques into 3D architected ones, are promising routes to such architected flexible electronic devices. Here, we comprehensively review mechanically-guided 3D assembly methods for architected flexible electronics. Mainstream methods of mechanically-guided 3D assembly are classified and discussed on the basis of their fundamental deformation modes (i.e., rolling, folding, curving, and buckling). Diverse 3D interconnects and device forms are then summarized, which correspond to the two key components of an architected flexible electronic device. Afterward, structure-induced functionalities are highlighted to provide guidelines for function-driven structural designs of flexible electronics, followed by a collective summary of their resulting applications. Finally, conclusions and outlooks are given, covering routes to achieve extreme deformations and dimensions, inverse design methods, and encapsulation strategies of architected 3D flexible electronics, as well as perspectives on future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renheng Bo
- Applied
Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory
of Flexible Electronics Technology, Tsinghua
University, 100084 Beijing, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Shiwei Xu
- Applied
Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory
of Flexible Electronics Technology, Tsinghua
University, 100084 Beijing, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Youzhou Yang
- Applied
Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory
of Flexible Electronics Technology, Tsinghua
University, 100084 Beijing, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Yihui Zhang
- Applied
Mechanics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Laboratory
of Flexible Electronics Technology, Tsinghua
University, 100084 Beijing, People’s Republic
of China
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