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286 Biomimetics: Biologically Inspired Technologies

Figure 10.17 (See color insert following page 302) The Virginia Tech students’ arm being prepared for the
match against Panna Felsen, the 17-year-old student from San Diego.

10.7 SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK

For many years, EAP received relatively little attention due to their limited actuation capability and
the small number of available materials. In the last 15 years, a series of new EAP materials have
emerged that exhibit large displacement in response to electrical stimulation. The capability of
these new materials is making them attractive as actuators for their operational similarity to
biological muscles, particularly their resilience, damage tolerance, and ability to induce large
actuation strains (stretching, contracting, or bending). The application of these materials as
actuators to drive various manipulation, mobility, and robotic devices involves multi-disciplines
including materials, chemistry, electromechanics, computers, and electronics. Even though the
force of actuation of existing EAP materials and their robustness require further improvement, there
has already been a series of reported successes in the development of EAP-actuated mechanisms.
Successful devices that have been reported include a fish-robot, audio speakers, catheter-steering
element, miniature manipulator and gripper, active diaphragm, and dust wiper. The field of EAP
has enormous potential in many application areas, and, judging from the range of inquiries that the
author has received since his start in this field in 1995, it seems that almost any aspect of our lives
can potentially be impacted. Some of the considered applications are still far from being practical,
and it is important to tailor the requirements to the level that current materials can address. Using
EAP to replace existing actuators may be a difficult challenge and therefore it is highly desirable
to identify niche applications where EAP materials would not need to compete with existing
technologies.
Space applications are among the most demanding in terms of the harshness of the operating
conditions, requiring a high level of robustness and durability. Making biomimetic capability using
EAP material will potentially allow NASA to conduct missions in other planets using robots that
emulate human operation ahead of a landing of human. For an emerging technology, the require-
ments and challenges associated with making hardware for space flight are very difficult to
overcome. However, since such applications usually involve producing only small batches, they
can provide an important avenue for introducing and experimenting with new actuators and