Distributed force model for arbitrarily shaped IMPC actuators
A model that describes the relationship of an arbitrarily shaped artificial muscle to the force it produces does not currently exist for actuators made of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMC), a type of electroactive smart material. The model in this thesis couples a finite element force simulation for IPMC with a novel method of performing force measurements for IPMC actuators. The model is capable of predicting the blocked force output for IPMC actuators of arbitrary dimension. The ultimate goal of this work is to create a method of analysis that allows for the design of custom IPMC fingers that have specific force production and actuation properties.
Metal-filled plastics--Electric properties, Conducting polymers, Actuators--Materials, Smart materials, Artificial limbs--Materials.
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