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Mao Z, Hosoya N, Maeda S. Flexible Electrohydrodynamic Fluid-Driven Valveless Water Pump via Immiscible Interface. CYBORG AND BIONIC SYSTEMS 2024; 5:0091. [PMID: 38318499 PMCID: PMC10843178 DOI: 10.34133/cbsystems.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The conventional electrohydrodynamic (EHD) pump is limited to pumping functional and dielectric liquids, which restricts its applications in fields like microfluidics, food safety, and materials production. In this study, we present a flexible water pump driven by EHD fluid, achieved by integrating valveless elements into the fluidic channel. Our approach leverages the water-EHD interface to propel the immiscible aqueous liquid and reciprocate this process using the nozzle-diffuser system. All components of the water pump are digitally fabricated and assembled. The valveless parts are created using a laser cutting machine. Additionally, we develop a model for the EHD pump and nozzle-diffuser system to predict the generated flow rate, considering factors such as the asymmetrical performance of the EHD pump, pulse frequency, applied voltage, and structural parameters. Finally, we experimentally characterize the flow rates of both the EHD pump and water pump and apply the newly developed device to air bubble manipulation and droplet generation. This research broadens the range of specialized liquids pumped by EHD pumps to include other aqueous liquids or mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zebing Mao
- Department of Mechanical engineering,
Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Hosoya
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
Shibaura Institute of Technology, 3-7-5 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan
| | - Shingo Maeda
- Department of Mechanical engineering,
Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
- Living Systems Materialogy (LiSM) Research Group, International Research Frontiers Initiative (IRFI),
Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
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Wang D, Wu X. Grasping Performance Analysis and Comparison of Multi-Chamber Ring-Shaped Soft Grippers. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:337. [PMID: 37622942 PMCID: PMC10452415 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8040337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Biologically inspired pneumatic ring-shaped soft grippers have been extensively studied in the field of soft robotics. However, the effect of the number of air chambers on the grasping performance (grasping range and load capacity) of ring-shaped soft grippers has not been studied. In this article, we propose three ring-shaped soft grippers with the same area of inner walls of air chambers and different numbers of air chambers (two-chamber, three-chamber, and four-chamber) for analyzing and comparing their grasping performance. Finite element method (FEM) models and experimental measurements are conducted to compare the deformation of the inner walls of the three ring-shaped soft grippers, the results indicate that the grasping range of the three-chamber ring-shaped soft gripper is larger than that of the two-chamber ring-shaped soft gripper and the four-chamber ring-shaped soft gripper. Then we choose the three-chamber ring-shaped soft gripper to study the relationship between contact force and air pressure by FEM models and experimental measurements. Several groups of experiments are constructed to compare the load capacity of the three ring-shaped soft grippers, the results indicate that the load capacity of the three-chamber ring-shaped soft gripper is higher than that of the two-chamber ring-shaped soft gripper and the four-chamber ring-shaped soft gripper. The above results reveal that the grasping performance of the three-chamber ring-shaped soft gripper is better than that of other two ring-shaped soft grippers. Furthermore, the application experiments indicate that the three ring-shaped soft grippers can grasp various objects with different weights, material properties, and shapes. This study provides a new idea for investigating ring-shaped soft grippers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaojun Wu
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China;
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Peng Y, Li D, Yang X, Ma Z, Mao Z. A Review on Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) Pump. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:321. [PMID: 36838020 PMCID: PMC9963539 DOI: 10.3390/mi14020321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, functional fluidic and gas electrohydrodynamic (EHD) pumps have received considerable attention due to their remarkable features, such as simple structure, quiet operation, and energy-efficient utilization. EHD pumps can be applied in various industrial applications, including flow transfer, thermal management, and actuator drive. In this paper, the authors reviewed the literature surrounding functional fluidic and gas EHD pumps regarding the following aspects: the initial observation of the EHD effect, mathematical modeling, and the choice of pump structure, electrode configuration, and working medium. Based on the review, we present a summary of the development and latest research on EHD pumps. This paper provides a critical analysis of the current limitations of EHD pumps and identifies potential areas for future research. Additionally, the potential application of artificial intelligence in the field of EHD pumps is discussed in the context of its cross-disciplinary nature. Many reviews on EHD pumps focus on rigid pumps, and the contribution of this review is to summarize and analyze soft EHD pumps that have received less attention, thus reducing the knowledge gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhong Peng
- Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Dongze Li
- Department of Intelligent Science and Technology, College of Computer Science and Technology, Qingdao University, 308 Ning Xia Lu, Laoshan District, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yang
- School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Zisu Ma
- School of Computer Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Zebing Mao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama Meguro-Ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
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A Proposal of Bioinspired Soft Active Hand Prosthesis. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:biomimetics8010029. [PMID: 36648815 PMCID: PMC9844288 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8010029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft robotics have broken the rigid wall of interaction between humans and robots due to their own definition and manufacturing principles, allowing robotic systems to adapt to humans and enhance or restore their capabilities. In this research we propose a dexterous bioinspired soft active hand prosthesis based in the skeletal architecture of the human hand. The design includes the imitation of the musculoskeletal components and morphology of the human hand, allowing the prosthesis to emulate the biomechanical properties of the hand, which results in better grips and a natural design. CAD models for each of the bones were developed and 3D printing was used to manufacture the skeletal structure of the prosthesis, also soft materials were used for the musculoskeletal components. A myoelectric control system was developed using a recurrent neural network (RNN) to classify the hand gestures using electromyography signals; the RNN model achieved an accuracy of 87% during real time testing. Objects with different size, texture and shape were tested to validate the grasping performance of the prosthesis, showing good adaptability, soft grasping and mechanical compliance to object of the daily life.
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Effects of Electrode Materials and Compositions on the Resistance Behavior of Dielectric Elastomer Transducers. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15020310. [PMID: 36679190 PMCID: PMC9861283 DOI: 10.3390/polym15020310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Dielectric elastomer (DE) transducers possess various advantages in comparison to alternative actuator technologies, such as, e.g., electromagnetic drive systems. DE can achieve large deformations, high driving frequencies, and are energy efficient. DEs consist of a dielectric membrane sandwiched between conductive electrodes. Electrodes are especially important for performance, as they must maintain high electrical conductivity while being subjected to large stretches. Low electrical resistances allow faster actuation frequencies. Additionally, a rate-independent, monotonic, and hysteresis-free resistance behavior over large elongations enables DEs to be used as resistive deformation sensors, in contrast to the conventional capacitive ones. This paper presents a systematic study on various electrode compositions consisting of different polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and nano-scaled carbon blacks (CB). The experiments show that the electrode resistance depends on the weight ratio of CB to PDMS, and the type of CB used. At low ratios, a high electrical resistance accompanied by a bimodal behavior in the resistance time evolution was observed, when stretching the electrodes cyclic in a triangular manner. This phenomenon decreases with increasing CB ratio. The type of PDMS also influences the resistance characteristics during elongation. Finally, a physical model of the observed phenomenon is presented.
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Ouyang F, Guan Y, Yu C, Yang X, Cheng Q, Chen J, Zhao J, Zhang Q, Guo Y. An Optimization Design Method of Rigid-Flexible Soft Fingers Based on Dielectric Elastomer Actuators. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:2030. [PMID: 36422459 PMCID: PMC9693624 DOI: 10.3390/mi13112030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The soft gripper has received extensive attention, due to its good adaptability and flexibility. The dielectric elastomer (DE) actuator as a flexible electroactive polymer that provides a new approach for soft grippers. However, they have the disadvantage of having a poor rigidity. Therefore, the optimization design method of a rigid-flexible soft finger is presented to improve the rigidity of the soft finger. We analyzed the interaction of the rigid and soft materials, using the finite element method (FEM), and researched the influence of the parameters (compression of the spring and pre-stretching ratio of the DE) on the bending angle. The optimal parameters were obtained using the FEM. We experimentally verified the accuracy of the proposed method. The maximum bending angle is 19.66°. Compared with the theoretical result, the maximum error is 3.84%. Simultaneously, the soft gripper with three fingers can grasp various objects and the maximum grasping quality is 11.21 g.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuhao Ouyang
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
- Key Lab of Industrial Fluid Energy Conservation and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
| | - Yuanlin Guan
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
- Key Lab of Industrial Fluid Energy Conservation and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
| | - Chunyu Yu
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
- Key Lab of Industrial Fluid Energy Conservation and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
| | - Xixin Yang
- School of Automation, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266017, China
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266017, China
| | - Qi Cheng
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
- Key Lab of Industrial Fluid Energy Conservation and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
| | - Jiawei Chen
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
- Key Lab of Industrial Fluid Energy Conservation and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
| | - Juan Zhao
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
- Key Lab of Industrial Fluid Energy Conservation and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
| | - Qinghai Zhang
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
- Key Lab of Industrial Fluid Energy Conservation and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
| | - Yang Guo
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
- Key Lab of Industrial Fluid Energy Conservation and Pollution Control, Ministry of Education, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China
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Misu K, Ikeda M, Or K, Ando M, Gunji M, Mochiyama H, Niiyama R. Robostrich Arm: Wire-Driven High-DOF Underactuated Manipulator. JOURNAL OF ROBOTICS AND MECHATRONICS 2022. [DOI: 10.20965/jrm.2022.p0328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We propose a wire-driven robotic arm inspired by the ostrich neck. It can pick up a small piece of feed from the ground while colliding with it. This arm is named robostrich arm (shortened form of robotic ostrich arm). It consists of a serial chain of 18 rigid bodies connected by free rotational joints that are designed to have angle limitations similar to the bones of a real ostrich. It moves in a vertical plane and is driven by two DC motors through antagonistic wires. The task considered in this study was to lift the arm tip (the “head” of the robostrich arm). The experimental results indicate that the tensioner balance and timing between the two wires are important for achieving the head-up task. This paper indicates the contribution of antagonist muscles to the performance of head-up tasks by high-degree-of-freedom underactuated manipulators in robotics and ostrich necks in biological studies.
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Murakami T, Kuwajima Y, Wiranata A, Minaminosono A, Shigemune H, Mao Z, Maeda S. A DIY Fabrication Approach for Ultra-Thin Focus-Tunable Liquid Lens Using Electrohydrodynamic Pump. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12121452. [PMID: 34945301 PMCID: PMC8706613 DOI: 10.3390/mi12121452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Demand for variable focus lens is increasing these days due to the rapid development of smart mobile devices and drones. However, conventional mechanical systems for lenses are generally complex, cumbersome, and rigid (e.g., for motors and gears). This research proposes a simple and compact liquid lens controlled by an electro hydro dynamics (EHD) pump. In our study, we propose a do-it-yourself (DIY) method to fabricate the low-cost EHD lens. The EHD lens consists of a polypropylene (PP) sheet for the exterior, a copper sheet for the electrodes, and an acrylic elastomer for the fluidic channel where dielectric fluid and pure water are filled. We controlled the lens magnification by changing the curvature of the liquid interface between the dielectric fluid and pure water. We evaluated the magnification performance of the lens. Moreover, we also established a numerical model to characterize the lens performance. We expect to contribute to the miniaturization of focus-tunable lenses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taichi Murakami
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan; (Y.K.); (A.W.); (A.M.)
- Correspondence: (T.M.); (Z.M.); (S.M.)
| | - Yu Kuwajima
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan; (Y.K.); (A.W.); (A.M.)
| | - Ardi Wiranata
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan; (Y.K.); (A.W.); (A.M.)
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Gadjah Mada, Jalan Grafika No. 2, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | - Ayato Minaminosono
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan; (Y.K.); (A.W.); (A.M.)
| | - Hiroki Shigemune
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan;
| | - Zebing Mao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan; (Y.K.); (A.W.); (A.M.)
- Correspondence: (T.M.); (Z.M.); (S.M.)
| | - Shingo Maeda
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 135-8548, Japan; (Y.K.); (A.W.); (A.M.)
- Correspondence: (T.M.); (Z.M.); (S.M.)
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