Tag: low-voltage actuation
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3D-Printed Ciliary Hydrogel Microactuators Enable Low-Voltage Actuation
Reimagining Microactuation with Hydrogels Researchers are pushing the boundaries of soft robotics by developing micrometer-scale hydrogel actuators that respond to low voltage. Unlike traditional millimetre-scale hydrogels that rely on interfacial pH or osmotic gradients, these new microactuators exploit internal ion migration through nanometer-scale pores. The result is precise, lightweight, and energy-efficient motion at a scale…
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3D-Printed Low-Voltage-Driven Ciliary Hydrogel Microactuators
Understanding the Rise of Microactuators in Soft Robotics Soft robotics has opened new avenues for manipulating tiny objects with flexible, compliant materials. Among the latest advances are micrometre-scale hydrogels that can mimic natural cilia—tiny, hair-like structures that move in coordinated waves. Unlike traditional millimetre-scale hydrogel systems, which rely on surface gradients to actuate, the newest…