An actuation assembly comprising: a support structure; a movable element movable relative to the support structure, the movable element having a principal axis; and an actuator arrangement for driving movement of the movable element with respect to the support structure, wherein said movement includes rotational movement of the movable element about an axis which is perpendicular to said principal axis and does not pass through the centre of the movable element, and wherein said movement also includes translational movement of the movable element in a direction perpendicular to the principal axis. The actuation assembly may be used to perform optical image stabilisation or to improve the performance of a 3D sensing system.

Actuator assemblies and methods of operating actuator assemblies are provided, in particular with the aim of reducing bearing jitter. In one approach an actuator assembly (1) is provided which has: a support element (4); a movable element (20) movable relative to the support element; an SMA component (80) connected between the movable element and the support element and arranged to cause movement of the movable element relative to the support element; a bearing (100) arranged to guide the movement of the movable element; and a controller (30) arranged to control energy supplied to the SMA component to thereby cause contraction and/or relaxation of the SMA component and to control movement of the movable element relative to the support element in a first direction so as to provide an actuation function, wherein the controller is arranged to, at least whilst the movable element starts to move in the first direction, control the movable element to cause it to be moving in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

An actuator assembly (1) comprising: a support structure (10) comprising a first friction surface (10f); a movable part (20) comprising a second friction surface (20f) engaging the first friction surface; one or more SMA wires (40) arranged, on contraction, to move the movable part relative to the support structure to any position within a range of movement; a biasing arrangement (30) arranged to bias the first and second friction surfaces against each other with a normal force, thereby generating a static frictional force that constrains the movement of the movable part relative to the support structure at any position within the range of movement when the one or more SMA wires are not contracted, wherein the one or more SMA wires are arranged such that the normal force between the first and second friction surfaces remains substantially constant on contraction of the one or more SMA wires.

A precision polishing grinding head with partition controllable deformation is disclosed, which belongs to the technical field of precision machining equipment, including a partition base, a positioning block is arranged in a center below the partition base, and a plurality of sets of connecting rod assemblies are arranged above the partition base, a curvature adjusting head is connected at a top end of the connecting rod assembly, a flexible polishing head is arranged above the curvature adjusting head, a protective shell is arranged outside the connecting rod assembly, and the flexible polishing head and the protective shell are connected through a grinding head frame, the device is integrally provided with a driving circuit.

The invention relates to a thermoelastic actuator (1) for providing a rotary actuating motion, comprising: an actuating element (4) for outputting the rotatory actuating motion; an antagonistic actuator unit (2) coupled with the actuating element (4) to convert a translational movement into the rotary actuating motion;
wherein the antagonistic actuator unit (2) comprises: at least two electrically separately activatable thermoelastic actuator elements (21, 21a, 21b), each extending in an extension direction (R) from a first end to a second end and arranged parallel to each other; a carriage element (24), which is movably guided in the direction (R), where the thermoelastic actuator elements (21, 21a, 21b) are each connected at the second end to the carriage element (24), so that upon a change of shape upon activation of one of the actuator elements (21, 21a, 21b), a pulling force is exerted on the carriage element (24) to translationally move the carriage element (24); an electrical connection between the first ends of the actuator elements (21, 21a, 21b) connected to the carriage element (24), so that a common electrical potential is applied to the actuator elements (21, 21a, 21b) via the carriage element (24).

Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twisted polymer fibers generate actuation when powered thermally. In some embodiments, the thermally-powered polymer fiber actuator can be incorporated into an article, such as a textile or garment.

In a soft actuator having a cooler, a wearable robot having the soft actuator, a massage device having the soft actuator, and a method for controlling the soft actuator, the soft actuator includes a heat reaction member, a cooling part and a controller. The heat reaction member is configured to be contracted or relaxed according to a temperature change. The cooling part includes a cooling surface disposed at the heat reaction member, and a heating surface disposed opposite to the cooling surface. The controller is configured to control a power supply part so that a power is blocked to be supplied to the heat reaction member and the power is supplied to the cooling part, when the heat reaction member is changed to be a relaxation state.

An actuation assembly comprising: a support structure; a movable element movable relative to the support structure, the novable element having a principal axis; and an actuator arrangement for driving movement of the movable element with respect to the support structure, wherein said movement includes rotational movement of the movable element about an axis which is perpendicular to said principal axis and does not pass through the centre of the movable element, and wherein said movement also includes translational movement of the movable element in a direction perpendicular to the principal axis. The actuation assembly may be used to perform optical image stabilisation or to improve the performance of a 3D sensing system.

An actuator can include a contracting member. The can be actuator configured to morph, when the contracting member is activated, into an activated configuration in which a dimension of the actuator increases. When the actuator is in an activated configuration, a supply of energy to the contracting member can be discontinued. The contracting member can be caused to be actively cooled. A state of the contracting member can be monitored.

An actuator can include a contracting member. The contracting member can be activated and deactivated so that the actuator actuator morphs between activated and relaxed configurations. As a result, the actuator can provide a vibration effect.