title: Design and fabrication of a largely deformable sensorized polymer actuator.
abstract: Polypyrrole (PPy), with its biomimetic properties such as high power density, large strain, and biocompatibility, is an excellent candidate for a biomimetic microactuator in microrobotics and bioengineering. A polyvinylidene fluorid (PVDF) sensor is also biocompatible, flexible, and chemically stable. Therefore, a PPy actuator is integrated with a PVDF sensor to realize a sensorized polymer actuator. A novel sensorized polymer actuator can accurately measure its bending motion precisely with real time. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the sensorized polymer actuator. The polymer actuator can be actuated while it senses signals induced from the bending motion. In addition, the position of the sensorized polymer actuator can be controlled and adjusted precisely with feedback signals from its embedded sensor at the time of operation. If this system becomes more robust and reliable, its applications are promising and can be realized in cell handling, microrobotics, and microsurgery with the integration of standard microfabrication techniques.
authors.affiliation: Microsystem Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 131, Cheongryang, Seoul 130-650, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaewook
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Jungyul
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Byungkyu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Oh
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D009038:Motion; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000737:chemistry*; D014159:Transducers; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D011108:Polymers; D011145:Polyvinyls; D011758:Pyrroles; C024865:polyvinylidene fluoride; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers; C067635:polypyrrole