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Abstract
Rodents are able to dexterously navigate confined and unlit environments by extracting spatial and textural information with their whiskers (or vibrissae). Vibrissal-based active touch is suited to a variety of applications where vision is occluded, such as search-and-rescue operations in collapsed buildings. In this paper, a compact dielectric elastomer vibrissal system (DEVS) is described that mimics the vibrissal follicle-sinus complex (FSC) found in rodents. Like the vibrissal FSC, the DEVS encapsulates all sensitive mechanoreceptors at the root of a passive whisker within an antagonistic muscular system. Typically, rats actively whisk arrays of macro-vibrissae with amplitudes of up to +/- 25 degrees. It is demonstrated that these properties can be replicated by exploiting the characteristic large actuation strains and passive compliance of dielectric elastomers. A prototype DEVS is developed using VHB 4905 and embedded strain gauges bonded to the root of a tapered whisker. The DEVS is demonstrated to produce a maximum rotational output of +/- 22.8 degrees. An electro-mechanical model of the DEVS is derived, which incorporates a hyperelastic material model and Euler-Bernoulli beam equations. The model is shown to predict experimental measurements of whisking stroke amplitude and whisker deflection.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2012 |
Editors | Y BarCohen |
Place of Publication | BELLINGHAM |
Publisher | Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) |
Number of pages | 10 |
Volume | 8340-13 |
ISBN (Print) | 978-0-8194-8997-5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Event | Conference on Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) - San Diego, Canada Duration: 12 Mar 2012 → 15 Mar 2012 |
Publication series
Name | Proceedings of SPIE |
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Publisher | SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING |
Volume | 8340 |
ISSN (Print) | 0277-786X |
Conference
Conference | Conference on Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) |
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Country/Territory | Canada |
City | San Diego |
Period | 12/03/12 → 15/03/12 |
Bibliographical note
Conference Proceedings/Title of Journal: Proceedings of SPIEConference Organiser: SPIE
Research Groups and Themes
- Tactile Action Perception
Keywords
- electro-active polymer
- dielectric elastomer
- cone actuator
- Ogden hyperelastic model
- active touch
- tactile sensing
- RHYTHMIC WHISKING
- RAT
- ACTUATORS
- DESIGN
- ROBOTS
- MOTOR
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Dielectric elastomer vibrissal system for active tactile sensing'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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MULTI-LINK SOFT POLYMER MICRO-ACTUATORS AND SENSORS
Rossiter, J. M. (Principal Investigator)
1/10/08 → 1/07/12
Project: Research