Characterizing the Mechanical Coupling of DE-Elements on a Single Silicone Membrane

Abstract:
A dielectric elastomer (DE) consists of a thin dielectric membrane coated with compliant electrodes on both sides. The application of a high voltage to the electrodes leads to a thinning of the membrane, which can be used for actuation pur-poses. DE actuators (DEAs) are well suited for numerous applications in a variety of fields, ranging from industry to medical applications. By combining multiple out-of-plane actuators on a single, continuous dielectric membrane, a new concept for cooperative DEA-arrays is created, that shows great potential for achieving new complex tasks such as hap-tic-feedback devices or micro-conveyors. To design high performance actuator arrays, the mechanical coupling among several DE elements that share a single, continuous dielectric membrane has to be investigated and understood first. In this work, present a new custom-developed concept for an experimental characterization of a 1-by 3 DE array, and show first characterization results obtained with the new setup. Based on the understanding of those effects, systematic de-signs of future cooperative DEAs will be enabled.