A shear force actuator is described, including: two substantially parallel first structural components disposed along a first axis; a plurality of substantially parallel second structural components disposed between and bridging the two first structural components; a plurality of joint sections each joining the second structural component with the first structural components at an oblique angle of between 0 and 90 degrees to define a plurality of cells, each capable of being connected with a fluid inflation or deflation source; an elastic surface covering the remaining surfaces of the cells in a fluid-tight manner, wherein at least one of the joint section, the first structural components, and the second structural components is elastic so that cell collapses upon removal of fluid from the cell to generate a linear force along the first axis.

A method of manufacturing an artificial muscle fiber device includes: tethering an artificial muscle fiber around one or more shape-setting pieces; annealing the artificial muscle fiber so that the artificial muscle fiber will retain specific shapes established by the shape-setting pieces; and removing the shape-setting pieces from the artificial muscle fiber.

An actuator device and method of manufacturing the same that includes at least two or more panels disposed in a frame is disclosed. Each of the two or more panels include a first rotationally-actuating artificial muscle fiber section between a first contact point of the frame and a tether point located on the panel and a second rotationally-actuating artificial muscle fiber section between the tether point and a second contact point on the frame. The tether point is approximately halfway across the length of the panel. A first and second muscle support is disposed on the panel between the tether point and the first contact point. The actuator device also includes a synchronization rod attached to the at least two or more panels.

An elongate fiber artificial muscle includes or consists of an elongate carbon or glass fiber and at least a partial coating of a polymer, and preferably a full shell coating to form a core-shell arrangement, that is volumetrically responsive to thermal changes or to moisture changes. Additional elongate fiber artificial muscles of the invention include a plurality of elongate carbon or glass fibers that are infiltrated between the fibers with a polymer that is volumetrically responsive to thermal changes or to moisture changes. In a fabrication method, the rheology (flow characteristic) of a polymer precursor is adjusted with solvent so it is less viscous. A fiber or plurality of fibers (pre-twisted or untwisted), such as a tow is dipped in the polymer precursor. The fiber or fibers is then pulled out of the polymer precursor and hung to allow polymer to distribute and then cured and can be twisted to coil prior to curing. A model is provided to fabricate elongate fiber artificial muscle with specific characteristics based upon a thermal or moisture expansion coefficient of the polymer, its elongation capability percentage before flaking or breaking, and its elastic modulus.

Described herein are intra-oral prostheses that can help replace or augment the function of the native tongue, such as to assist with swallowing. Disclosed prostheses can provide mechanical force, based on the power of mastication, to propel a food bolus into the pharyngeal phase of swallowing. Disclosed prostheses can be used to enhance swallowing rehabilitation as a temporary aid and/or can be used to permanently replace lost tongue functionality. Also disclosed are other anatomical prostheses, such as to provide power for the articulation of dysfunctional extremities, by transforming mechanical force from another nearby functioning muscle group.

An actuator includes a plurality of artificial muscle fibers and at least one conducting material. The at least one conducting material electrically stimulates the plurality of artificial muscle fibers during activation of the actuator. An actuator device includes at least one artificial muscle fiber and at least one high-strength creep-resistant fiber.

An actuator device that includes a conducting material and at least one fuse incorporated into the conducting material is disclosed. The at least one fuse may stop current flow for temperatures above a specific temperature. The actuator device may also include a series of electronics that determine whether the actuating device has blown the at least one fuse.

Actuators and methods of use are provided. An actuator may include an inner member made from an elastic material and defining a compartment for receiving an actuating fluid, the inner member being moveable in a longitudinal direction from a relaxed state to an expanded state by introducing an actuating fluid into the inner member, and an outer member made from an inelastic material and being disposed around the elastic inner member to control expansion of the elastic inner member in a radial direction, the outer member being moveable from a folded relaxed configuration to an unfolded extended configuration as the inner member moves from the relaxed state to the expanded state, wherein the movement of the actuator between the relaxed state and the expanded state causes a movement of a structure to which the actuator is attached.

The present invention relates to a soft actuator moving linearly against external stimuli whose expansion and contraction can be actively controlled, suggesting that the actuator of the invention overcomes the problems of the conventional soft actuators, The soft actuator of the present invention can be repetitively driven quickly and accurately by controlling heating and cooling by using thermoelectric effect and, the soft actuator of the present invention can realize bending, tensioning, compression, and rotational driving of a tubular device containing a driver.

Artificial limbs and joints that behave like biological limbs and joints employ a synthetic actuator which consumes negligible power when exerting zero force, consumes negligible power when outputting force at constant length (isometric) and while performing dissipative, nonconservative work, is capable of independently engaging flexion and extension tendon-like, series springs, is capable of independently varying joint position and stiffness, and exploits series elasticity for mechanical power amplification.