2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Gel Robots (Shape Design and Motion Control of Electroactive Polymer Gel)
| Project/Area Number |
13450100
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Intelligent mechanics/Mechanical systems
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| Research Institution | THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO |
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Principal Investigator |
INOUE Hirochika Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Professor, 大学院・情報理工学系研究科, 教授 (50111464)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KUNIYOSHI Yasuo Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Associate Professor, 大学院・情報理工学系研究科, 助教授 (10333444)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2002
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| Keywords | Electroactive Polymer / Gel / Robot / Simulation / Shape / Design / Motion / Control |
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| Research Abstract |
This research studies the modeling, shape design and motion control of deformable machines consisting of actively deformable materials, which are referred to as artificial muscles. Recent advances in electroactive polymers, which are candidate materials for artificial muscles, have enabled the realization of deformable machines similar to living animals.
Firstly, an approximate model of the gel was proposed and examined. Its deformation was characterized by two processes- molecular adsorption described with a reductive reaction- diffusion equation, and molecular propagation expressed with a stress generation equation.
Secondly, a system for electroactive polymer gels was developed. The developed systems include a driving system consisting of an array of matrix of electrodes in a plane, which generates spatially-varying electric fields, and a manufacturing system for molding gels with wave-shaped surfaces.
Thirdly, shape and motion control of gels was studied. Alternating electric fields were used to deform gels into objective shapes by changing the frequency of oscillation. Dynamic motions were generated by switching spatially varying electric fields. These techniques were demonstrated using examples involving beam-shaped gels curling around an object, and starfish-shaped gel robots turning over.
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