Air Ambient-Operated pNIPAM-Based Flexible Actuators Stimulated by Human Body Temperature and Sunlight.
Harnessing a natural power source such as the human body temperature or sunlight should realize ultimate low-power devices. In particular, macroscale and flexible actuators that do not require an artificial power source have tremendous potential. Here we propose and demonstrate electrically powerless polymer-based actuators operated at ambient conditions using a packaging technique in which the stimulating power source is produced by heat from the human body or sunlight. The actuating angle, force, and reliability are discussed as functions of temperature and exposure to sunlight. Furthermore, a wearable device platform and a smart curtain actuated by the temperature of human skin and sunlight, respectively, are demonstrated as the first proof-of-concepts. These nature-powered actuators should realize a new class of ultimate low-power devices.
Department of Physics and Electronics, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan.
Yuki
Y
Yamamoto
Department of Physics and Electronics, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan.
Kenichiro
K
Kanao
Department of Physics and Electronics, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan.
Takayuki
T
Arie
Department of Physics and Electronics, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan.
Seiji
S
Akita
Department of Physics and Electronics, Osaka Prefecture University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan.
Kuniharu
K
Takei
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D000388:Air; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D001831:Body Temperature; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000528:radiation effects; D004735:Energy Transfer; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013472:Sunlight; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000528:radiation effects; D014159:Transducers
D000180:Acrylic Resins; C052970:poly-N-isopropylacrylamide
actuators; ambient operations; carbon nanotubes; pNIPAM; wearable devices