Mechanisms of Actuators and Artificial Muscles

This lecture covers the mechanisms of collision recovery in flying beetles and flapping-wing robots, focusing on the metric for actuators, artificial muscles, and electroactive materials. It discusses dielectric elastomers, important dielectric parameters, and electrostatic and electromechanical stress. The lecture explores the concept of artificial muscles, including their history, types, and working principles. It also delves into the performance metrics of high-speed, giant strain actuators, architected dielectric elastomers, and various applications of these technologies.