2-DOF synchronous electrostatic actuator with transparent electrodes arranged in checkerboard patterns

This paper reports a 2-DOF electrostatic actuator with all electrodes made with transparent materials. The actuator is composed of two plastic films, a stator film and a slider film. The two films are sectioned into four-by-four checkerboard patterns, whose squares include fine-pitched strip electrodes arranged in orthogonal directions. A pair of three-phase voltages drives the slider in open-loop, along any preset paths in the 2-D plane. A prototype was fabricated with etched indium tin oxides and screenprinted conductive polymers. With 500 V excitation, the prototype exerted 60 to 100 mN forces in eight directions, and the slider traveled along straight and circular paths within its operating range of 132 mm by 132 mm, at maximum speed of 240 mm/s. With the transparency, the actuator realizes collaboration of an actuated physical object and animated images, on surfaces of flat panel displays.