Actuators

Smart elastomers can be used to create various new types of actuators that can be controlled electrically or magnetically. In contrast to piezoelectric actuators, soft elastomer actuators can only generate significantly lower actuator forces, but significantly higher actuator strains. Such actuators are therefore particularly suitable for adjustment processes in the millimeter range with relatively low adjustment forces of a few Newton.

Dielectric Elastomers and Magnetorheological Elastomers are available as the material basis for such soft elastomer actuators:

• Dielectric Elastomer Actuators (DEA)
• Magnetorheological eEastomer (MRE) Actuators