While software and sensing capabilities for robotics have advanced rapidly, actuator hardware has remained largely unchanged. However, new approaches to actuation, based on soft and flexible materials, offer inherent advantages over traditional mechanical hardware and are promising to rapidly advance capabilities for future electromechanical systems.
Artimus Robotics has developed a revolutionary soft actuator technology - Hydraulically Amplified Self-healing ELectrostatic (HASEL) actuators - which combines thin film polymers, liquid dielectrics, and flexible conductors to achieve muscle-like performance. HASELs (pronounced ‘hazel’) offer many benefits over existing electromechanical actuators including wide frequency bandwidth (DC to several 100 Hz), high force-to-weight (>1,000 N/kg), high power-to-weight (>300 W/kg), high actuation strain (>50%), and self-sensing. Importantly, these devices are made from more sustainable materials than incumbent actuators technologies. Instead of utilizing metals, magnets, or lead-based ceramics, HASEL actuators make use of thin film polymers, liquids, and carbon-based conductors - all materials with low embodied energy that are amenable to large scale manufacturing techniques. HASEL actuators are an emerging technology that was first published in Science and Science Robotics in 2018 and full time efforts on commercialization began in 2020.
The unique capabilities and benefits of HASEL actuators will enable new robotics solutions while also being a compelling alternative to incumbent actuators in existing solutions. The global actuator market was $50B in 2021, and while HASEL actuators will not address the entirety of this market, the technology is a compelling alternative for many incumbent solutions. Specific energy – a measure of output mechanical work normalized to weight of an actuator – is a helpful metric for comparing actuator technologies. Based on this metric alone, HASEL actuators outperform piezoelectric ($1.1B in 2022), solenoid valves ($5.5B in 2022), and voice coil actuators ($120M in 2021). As the technology matures, modeling suggests that specific energy could increase past 25 J/kg, which is competitive with most electromechanical actuators.
Since 2020, Artimus has leveraged non-dilutive SBIR/STTR funding to de-risk the HASEL technology. We have achieved key milestones including a 50x increase in operating lifetime (1M+ cycles to failure); consistent small-scale fabrication processes with >95% yield; development of full hardware, software, and electronics stack; and doubling of actuator force/stroke performance. Thanks to these improvements, Artimus has been gaining traction in commercial markets, providing direct sales of development kits and performing development projects with corporate partners. Our customers have spanned many industries including defense, medical, automotive, and consumer electronics.
However, long term success will require additional improvements to material performance and reliability as well as developing scalable manufacturing processes. Compared to software-based innovations, hardware innovations such as the HASEL technology, require extensive development time and interdisciplinary efforts. Strong partnerships across electronics, smart materials, and manufacturing will be critical to realize the full potential of HASEL actuators.
This talk will include an in depth discussion of the HASEL technology, important technical milestones to date, and initial traction within commercial and defense markets. Finally, we will highlight ongoing challenges and opportunities that will benefit from deeper collaborations with the flexible hybrid electronics community.
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