Smart Flexible Microactuators utilizing Piezoelectric Film

软驱动器在机器人学和机电一体化研究领域受到越来越多的关注。本研究旨在实现具有这种柔性结构的智能执行器系统。本研究采用柔性微致动器(FMA)作为软致动器和功能粘贴材料，用于位移传感。采用三自由度扫描控制的注浆系统，可在曲面橡胶材料表面沉积糊状功能材料。制作了两种柔性位移传感器，并对其性能进行了评价。第一类柔性位移传感器是将导电浆料沉积在橡胶上制成的位移传感器。该注浆系统用于曲面导电浆料的精确沉积。传感器显示了足够的性能，实现了对软执行器的伺服控制。虽然该传感器具有很高的柔顺性，有望用于软驱动器，但在高应变条件下，线性度有所下降，我们还实现了导电浆料的波纹化，从而提高了线性度。要实现高线性度和S/N比，必须有最佳的波纹间距。为了评估优化的效果，对优化后的传感器进行了制作和评估。样品具有很高的线性度和S/N比。第二类柔性位移传感器是用压电聚合物作为糊状功能材料实现的。压电聚合物：将聚(偏氟乙烯-三氟乙烯)共聚物[P(VDF/TrFE)]沉积在FMA上，检测其位移和张力。此外，电极还使用了导电油墨。这些传感器是通过注浆系统在橡胶表面制作的，并通过沉积PZT薄膜实现了FMA尖端曲面上的触摸式传感器。沉积过程采用水热方法。

Soft actuators have been receiving increasing attention in research area of robotics and mechtoronics. This research aims at a realization of intelligent actuator system which has such a flexible structure. The Frexible Microactuator (FMA) used for this research as the soft actuator and functional paste material was used for a sensing of displacement. The paste type functional materials can be deposited on the surface of curved rubber material by using a paste injection system which is controlled by three degrees of freedom scanning system. Two types of sensor have been fabricated and evaluated.The first type flexible displacement sensor was a displacement sensor which fabricated by depositing conductive paste onto rubber. The paste injection system was used for the deposition of conductive paste precisely for curved surface. The sensor showed enough capability, and servo control for soft actuator was realized. Although the sensor has high compliance and is expected to be used for soft actuator, the linearity was diminished under the high strain applied condition.We have also realized a wave patterning of conductive paste which can improve linearity. There must be optimal pitch of wave pattern which realizes high linearity and S/N ratio. To estimate the effect of this optimization, the sensor which had optimized pattern was fabricated and evaluated. The sample showed high linearity and S/N ratioThe second type flexible displacement sensor was realized by using the piezoelectric polymer as a paste type functional material. Piezoelectric polymer : poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymer[P(VDF/TrFE)] was deposited on FMA to detect the displacement and tension. In addition, conductive ink was used for electrodes. These sensors were fabricated on the surface of rubber with the paste injection system.Touch sensor on the curved surface on the tip of FMA was also realized by depositing PZT film. A hydrothermal method was used for the deposition process.