Smart Flexible Microactuators utilizing Piezoelectric Film

软致动器在机器人和机电领域受到越来越多的关注。本课题的研究目标就是实现具有这种柔性结构的智能执行器系统。采用柔性微致动器（FMA）作为软致动器和功能膏体材料进行位移传感。采用三自由度扫描控制的膏体注射系统，可将膏体型功能材料沉积在弯曲的橡胶材料表面。两种类型的传感器已经制作和评估。第一类柔性位移传感器是在橡胶上沉积导电浆料制成的位移传感器。采用浆料喷射系统对曲面进行了精密的导电浆料沉积。该传感器性能良好，实现了对软执行器的伺服控制。虽然该传感器具有很高的顺应性，有望用于软执行器，但在高应变施加条件下线性度降低。我们还实现了一种可以提高线性度的导电浆料的波浪形。要实现高线性度和高信噪比，必须有最佳的波形间距。为了评估优化后的效果，制作了优化后的传感器并对其进行了评价。样品具有较高的线性度和信噪比。采用压电聚合物作为膏状功能材料，实现了第二类柔性位移传感器。将压电聚合物：聚偏氟乙烯-三氟乙烯共聚物[P(VDF/TrFE)]沉积在FMA上，检测位移和张力。此外，导电油墨用于电极。这些传感器是用浆料注入系统在橡胶表面制备的。通过沉积PZT薄膜，实现了FMA尖端曲面上的触摸传感器。采用水热法进行沉积过程。

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.