The disclosed embodiments are generally directed to optical systems. The optical systems may include a proximal lens that may transmit light toward an eye of a user. The optical systems may also include a distal lens that may, in combination with the proximal lens, correct for at least a portion of a refractive error of the eye of the user. The optical systems may further include a selective transmission interface. The selective transmission interface may couple the proximal lens to the distal lens, transmits light having a selected property, and does not transmit light that does not have the selected property. The optical system can also include an accommodative lens, such as a liquid lens. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

An apparatus includes a dielectric tile array including a plurality of dielectric tiles; and a plurality of electroactive (EA) material blocks configured to expand or contract in response to being actuated by the application of an actuation voltage.

A touch panel according to the embodiment includes a substrate including an effective area and a dummy area surrounding the effective area; a transparent electrode on the substrate; and an outer dummy layer on the dummy area, wherein the outer dummy layer comprises a piezoelectric material.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method in which a first set of one or more voltage pulses is applied to a piezoelectric device over a first time period. During the first time period, the method determines whether a performance parameter of the piezoelectric device has a first value that deviates from a reference value by more than a predetermined value. Based on whether the first value deviates from the reference value by more than the predetermined value, the method selectively applies a second set of one or more voltage pulses to the piezoelectric device over a second time period. The second time period is after the first time period and the second set of one or more voltage pulses differs in magnitude and/or polarity from the first set of one or more voltage pulses.

A method of fabricating an ultrasonic medical device is presented. The method includes machining a surgical tool from a flat metal stock, contacting a face of a first transducer with a first face of the surgical tool, and contacting a face of a second transducer with an opposing face of the surgical tool opposite the first transducer. The first and second transducers are configured to operate in a D31 mode with respect to the longitudinal portion of the surgical tool. Upon activation, the first transducer and the second transducer are configured to induce a standing wave in the surgical tool and the induced standing wave comprises a node at a node location in the surgical tool and an antinode at an antinode location in the surgical tool.

A transducer device, including an electroactive polymer transducer, which has at least two electrode layers which are situated in parallel to one another and which are connected to one another by inserting an elastic intermediate layer in each case, and including a circuit having electronic components for the purpose of generating an electrical voltage applied to the electrode layers of the polymer transducer, the circuit increasing an input voltage to a voltage which is increased with regard to the input voltage.

The present invention provides electroactive polymer (“EAP”) transducers having improved properties. This improvement is achieved without decreasing film thickness, or by using high dielectric constant and high field, so that this approach does not adversely affect the reliability and physical properties of the resultant dielectric films. Mobile electrically active additives are added to the electrode formulation which significantly improve the performance of electroactive polymer transducers. Such additives do not need to be ionic. These electrically active additives can enable higher performance devices, smaller devices using less active area, lower voltage/power operation, and combinations of these enhancements.

A microactuator for a dual stage actuated suspension for a hard disk drive is constructed as a longitudinal stack of piezoelectric (PZT) elements acting in the d33 mode, expanding or contracting longitudinally when an electric field is applied across them in the longitudinal direction. The microactuator has interlaced electrode fingers that separate and define the individual PZT elements, and apply the electric field. A stiff constraint layer having a high Young's modulus is affixed to the microactuator on the side opposite the suspension to which the microactuator is bonded. The constraint layer may be a layer of substantially inactive PZT material that is formed integrally with the PZT elements but without electrodes in the inactive PZT layer. The presence of the stiff constraint layer increases the effective stroke length of the microactuator.

To provide a tactile vibration applying device that efficiently outputs vibrations using an electrostatic or piezoelectric actuator. The tactile vibration applying device includes the electrostatic or piezoelectric actuator formed in a flat shape, and expanding and contracting in a thickness direction, a first elastic body having an elastic modulus smaller than an elastic modulus of the actuator in the thickness direction and disposed to contact a surface of the actuator on a side of the first electrode, and a first cover covering a surface of the first elastic body opposite to a surface of the first elastic body contacting the actuator, pressing the actuator and the first elastic body in the thickness direction of the actuator, and holding the first elastic body in a state that the first elastic body is compressed more than the actuator.

A nanometer-scale precision actuator comprises a base, an intermediate structure, an output interface, and two linear elements producing a controllable extension in the same longitudinal direction, each between a first and a second end. A first of the two elements has a first end fixed onto the intermediate structure and a second end fixed onto the base, a second of the two elements has a first end fixed onto the intermediate structure and a second end fixed to the output interface. The base and the intermediate structure are positioned in such a manner that the controllable extension of the second element produces a displacement of the actuator in a first direction and the controllable extension of the first element produces a displacement of the actuator in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, with respect to the base.