A flexible and soft smart driving device comprises a flexible frame, a driving mechanism and a creeping structure. The driving mechanism uses an intrinsic strain of an intelligent soft material to generate a driving force. A creeping structure is used to implement autonomous activities of the flexible and soft smart driving device. The driving mechanism and the creeping structure are attached to the flexible frame. The driving mechanism generates the driving force by contraction and relaxation of a driving membrane. The flexible and soft smart driving device is made from flexible materials and has advantages of good creeping speed, flexible control, small noise and high human body compatibility.

An electromechanical drive is provided comprising two units which can be moved relative to each other. By specifying the positioning movement of a unit and eliminating or at least mitigating the influence of a parasitic movement component on the function of the drive, the functionality of the drive can be ensured. This is achieved in that the electromechanical drive comprises a coupling element which has a flat reinforcement body and at least two connection sections which are attached to the reinforcement body in an articulated manner, wherein at least one of the connection sections is coupled to one of the units.

A method of producing a compensation signal to compensate for misalignment of a drive unit clamp element can include applying a clamp element drive signal to a drive unit clamp element to engage a mover element, determining a first displacement of the mover element, and determining a first compensation signal based at least in part on the first displacement. The method can further comprise applying the first compensation signal to the drive unit shear elements and the clamp element drive signal to the drive unit clamp element and determining a second displacement of the mover element. If the second displacement is less than a preselected threshold, the first compensation signal can be combined with an initial shear element drive signal to produce a modified shear element drive signal. If the second displacement is greater than the preselected threshold, a second compensation signal can be determined.

A motor powered by linear actuators comprises a base plane in which a plurality of linear actuators (2, 2, 2, 20) operate by reciprocating along respective lines of action (X, X, X), an elastic conversion member (3, 30) which is adapted to move in the plane and suitable to be connected to a drive shaft (S). The linear actuators (2, 2, 2, 20) are operatively connected with the conversion member (3, 30) for converting the reciprocating motion of the linear actuators (2, 2, 2, 20) into a substantially continuous motion of the conversion member (3, 30). The motor also comprises stationary constraint means (4, 40) which are adapted to selectively interact with the conversion member (3, 30) to locally deform it and/or promote sliding and movement thereof the plane about a predetermined axis or in a predetermined direction in response to the action of the linear actuators (2, 2, 2, 20).

A flexible and soft smart driving device comprises a flexible frame, a driving mechanism and a creeping structure. The driving mechanism uses an intrinsic strain of an intelligent soft material to generate a driving force. A creeping structure is used to implement autonomous activities of the flexible and soft smart driving device. The driving mechanism and the creeping structure are attached to the flexible frame. The driving mechanism generates the driving force by contraction and relaxation of a driving membrane. The flexible and soft smart driving device is made from flexible materials and has advantages of good creeping speed, flexible control, small noise and high human body compatibility.

A piezoelectric motor with form-locked drive mechanism avoiding step losses and undefined step sizes caused by environmental conditions such as temperature, surface quality and air humidity by engaging actuator teeth interacting with the toothed structure of a driven rack.

A method of forming an energy harvesting device comprises supporting an outer peripheral edge of a disc spring using a support element that allows oscillations of the disc spring. A first preload force is applied to the disc spring and directed along its axial center. During application of the first preload force, a piezoelectric material is fixedly secured with a surface of the disc spring. A second preload force is applied to the disc spring to thereby provide a predetermined reduction of a stiffness of the disc spring. The reduction of the stiffness corresponds to an increased sensitivity to low-frequency components of vibrational energy received by the energy harvesting device.

In object to provide a unit of piezoelectric element having a preferable bending strength and preferably used as a part of a driving unit, a unit of piezoelectric element comprising: a multilayer piezoelectric element, having internal electrodes laminated having a piezoelectric body layer in-between and a pair of external electrodes formed on side surfaces extending along laminating direction and electrically connected to the internal electrodes, a wiring part connected to the external electrodes via a solder part, wherein a solder is solidified, a resin part, joining one end surface in the laminating direction of the multilayer piezoelectric element and a mounting surface of a connection member placed to face the one end surface, wherein the resin part is continuous from the one end surface and the mounting surface to the solder part; and the resin part covers the solder part, is provided.

In object to provide a unit of piezoelectric element having a preferable bending strength and preferably used as a part of a driving unit, a unit of piezoelectric element comprising: a multilayer piezoelectric element, having internal electrodes laminated having a piezoelectric body layer in-between and a pair of external electrodes formed on side surfaces extending along laminating direction and electrically connected to the internal electrodes, a wiring part connected to the external electrodes via a solder part, wherein a solder is solidified, a resin part, joining one end surface in the laminating direction of the multilayer piezoelectric element and a mounting surface of a connection member placed to face the one end surface, wherein the resin part is continuous from the one end surface and the mounting surface to the solder part; and the resin part covers the solder part, is provided.

An actuator in the form of a stack is described, wherein the stack includes multiple first pairs of layers of a polarized electromechanical material and multiple second pairs of layers of a polarized electromechanical material, and the first and second pairs of layers are disposed, one behind the other, wherein at each pair of layers on each of its terminal surfaces electrically conductive layers are disposed, and, between the layers of each pair of layers, an electrically conductive layer for connection to at least one connection electrode of a second polarity is disposed, and the polarization directions of the electromechanical material of the layers of each pair are aligned opposite to one another, and the directions of polarization of the material of the layers of each pair of layers are aligned perpendicular to the directions of polarization of the material of the layers of each adjacent pair of layers.