Collaborative Research: Intelligent Microwave Power Transmission and Control System for Artificial Muscle-Driven Biomimetic Robotic Systems

智能电活性聚合物（EAP）的最新进展为设计真正的生物启发机器人创造了独特的机会。然而，许多研究人员观察到，离子EAP执行器将电源线连接到各自的电极表面是具有挑战性的，特别是在多段设计应用和微尺度驱动中。为了充分设计出能够适应各种非结构化和曲折环境条件的鲁棒机器人系统，有必要在智能电源和控制单元方面取得突破。在本提案中，我们介绍了一种创新的方法，在基于EAP的目标运动单元和远程控制/动力单元之间使用无线链路。远程单元可以通过调制微波的频率和幅度来选择性地驱动EAP驱动器的不同部分，从而为目标运动单元提供必要的智能，该驱动器使用驱动器电极表面上的特殊编码贴片天线图案。提出的微波控制系统具有广泛的未来工程应用，其中需要向当地运动单元提供适当的智能能力。该提案的成功可以导致综合仿生学集群的发展，这将为教育和推广计划提供必要的基础。

Recent advances in smart Electro-active Polymers (EAP) have created a unique opportunity to design true biologically-inspired robots. However, the ionic EAP actuator has been observed by many researchers that the wiring power line, to the respective electrode surface, is challenging, especially in multi-segment design applications and micro-scale actuation. In order to adequately design robust robotic systems that can be adaptable to a variety of unstructured and tortuous environmental conditions, it is necessary to have breakthroughs in the intelligent power supply and the control unit. In this proposal, we introduce an innovative approach to use a wireless link between EAP based target locomotion units and a remote control/power unit. The remote unit can provide necessary intelligence to the target locomotion units by modulating both frequency and amplitude of the microwave to selectively actuate a different segment of the EAP actuator by using a specially coded patch antenna pattern on the electrode surface of the actuator. The proposed microwave control systems have a wide spectrum of future engineering applications where proper intelligence capabilities need to be provided to the local locomotion unit. The success of the proposal can lead to the development of Integrative Biomimetics cluster that will provide necessary foundation for education and outreach programs.