Preliminary study of wireless actuation and control of IPMC actuator

The EAP (Electro-Active Polymer) actuators have created an unique opportunity to design the robots that mimic the motion of biological systems due to its soft structure and operation at a low voltage. Although this polymer actuator has a strong potential for a next-generation artificial muscle actuator, it has been observed by many researchers that supplying actuation voltages in multiple location is challenging especially for small-scale robots. In many robotic applications, a tethered operation is prohibited and the weight of battery can be critical for actual implementation. In this research the remote unit can provide necessary power and control signals to the target mobile robot units actuated by EAPs. This research addresses a novel approach of using a wireless power link between the ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuator and a remote control/power unit. In this study, microstrip patch antenna patterns are designed on the surface electrode of the IPMC for wireless transmission of the required power to actuate the IPMC. Also, frequency modulation of the microwave is proposed to selectively actuate the particular portion of the IPMC actuator where matching patch antenna pattern is located. This approach can be especially useful for a long-term operation of small scale locomotion units and avoids problems caused by complex internal wiring often observed in various types of biologically inspired robots. Several experiments are performed and show that the proposed approach can be useful for various remote power and control applications.