Soft Electrohydraulic Actuators with Intrinsic Electroadhesion

This paper presents a soft electrohydraulic actuator integrated with electrically controlled adhesion. Soft electrohydraulic actuators are a type of soft actuation technology known for their versatility and promising features, enabling the creation of diverse soft robotic systems. Integrating electroadhesion functionality into this actuation technology is expected to further enhance its versatility by making it multifunctional. In the actuator proposed in this study, electroadhesion is incorporated by modifying a partial domain of the electrode to have an interdigitated shape, which generates not only actuation but also electrostatic attractive forces to nearby objects simultaneously. Additionally, the geometry of the pouch is modified from a rectangular to a non-rectangular shape to stabilize actuated deformation. The experimental results clarified the actuation performance and electroadhesion forces of the proposed actuator, while a 23% improvement in holding force was observed in the form of a gripper, demonstrating the effectiveness of the actuator with intrinsic electroadhesion.