The present invention is related to a stretchable tubular device (1) comprising at least one layer (Lx) of a stretchable polymer, a power supply (2) and a set of electrodes (3a, 3b) connected to said power supply (2). The power supply can supply at least a first level of voltage (V1) to the electrodes so as to modify the natural force (F0) of the stretchable layers to a modified force (F1). The present invention also covers a process for manufacturing such a tubular device and its use as a medical implant.

A micropositioning device for a piezoelectric actuator includes a means for controlling an electric field applied to the piezoelectric actuator so as to deform the piezoelectric material, and means for simultaneous measurement of a variation of electric charge accumulated on the piezoelectric actuator resulting from the deformation; and means for acquiring measurements of the variation of electric charge, for processing these acquisitions and for estimating a displacement (x, y, z) of the piezoelectric actuator and/or an applied force.

A multi-degree-of-freedom sample holder, comprising a housing and a rotating shaft, is disclosed. A frame is provided between the housing and the rotating shaft, and the frame is coaxial with the housing and rotating shaft. The present invention has multiple degrees of freedom such as high-precision translational freedom of the sample along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis, and 360° rotation of the sample around the axis, etc. The sample is always aligned with the sample holder shaft during the rotation, and the static electricity accumulated on the sample can be led out.

An electroactive device may include (1) an electroactive polymer element having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, (2) a primary electrode abutting the first surface, and (3) a secondary electrode abutting the second surface. The electroactive polymer element may be transformed from an initial state to a deformed state and may achieve substantially uniform strain by the application of an electrostatic field produced by a potential difference between the electrodes. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein are ultrasound transducers that are selectively insulated to thereby enable the transducers to be exposed to an electrically conductive fluid without causing a short circuit between electrodes of the transducers. Such a transducer includes a piezoelectric transducer body having a first surface and a second surface that are spaced apart from one another and do not intersect with one another. The ultrasound transducer also includes a first electrode disposed on the first surface, a second electrode disposed on the second surface, and an electrical insulator covering only one of first and second electrodes and configured to inhibit electrical conduction between the first electrode and the second electrode when the ultrasound transducer is placed within an electrically conductive fluid. Also disclosed are apparatuses and systems that include such a transducer. Related methods are also disclosed herein.

In manufacturing method of a cylindrical piezoelectric element, a cylindrical piezoelectric material is formed by molding a piezoelectric material into a cylindrical shape and subjecting the molded piezoelectric material to calcination. A reference electrode is provided on an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical piezoelectric material. Drive electrodes are provided in a circumferential direction so that the drive electrodes are extending in an axial direction from one end to the other end on an outer circumferential surface. A polarization electrode is provided at a part of the circumferential surface in the vicinity of the one end. A predetermined voltage is applied between the polarization electrode and the reference electrode. The polarization electrode is removed from the cylindrical piezoelectric material.

An actuator according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a driving body including a plurality of conductive grains, a chamber configured to confine the plurality of conductive grains, and two or more electrodes disposed on a surface of the chamber; and a controller configured to obtain, through the two or more electrodes, a change in an electric signal, in response to a load applied to the chamber, and to adjust the load applied to the chamber based on the change in the electric signal.

An actuator has a flexible electrode having flexibility, and a base electrode having an opposed face that is opposed to the flexible electrode and is covered with an insulating layer. The flexible electrode deforms to get closer to the opposed face when a voltage is applied to the flexible electrode and the base electrode. The flexible electrode is a rotating body placed on the opposed face. The base electrode is divided into a plurality of electrode portions insulated from each other. The electrode portions are arranged along a predetermined direction. The flexible electrode moves in the predetermined direction relative to the base electrode, while rotating on the opposed face, when the voltage is sequentially applied to the electrode portions in the predetermined direction.

A tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) is provided. The VCSEL includes a VCSEL emission structure, piezoelectric material, and a piezoelectric electrode. The VCSEL emission structure includes a first reflector; a second reflector; and an active cavity material structure disposed between the first and second reflectors. The active cavity material structure includes an active region. The piezoelectric material is mechanically coupled to the VCSEL emission structure such that when the piezoelectric material experiences a mechanical stress, the mechanical stress is transferred to the active cavity material structure of the VCSEL emission structure. The piezoelectric electrode is designed to cause an electric field within the piezoelectric material. The electric field causes the piezoelectric material to experience the mechanical stress, which causes the active cavity material structure to experience the mechanical stress, which causes the emission wavelength of the VCSEL to be modified from a nominal wavelength of the VCSEL.

A method for forming an electroactive device may include (i) depositing a curable material onto a primary electrode, (ii) curing the deposited curable material to form an electroactive polymer element comprising a cured elastomer material, and (iii) depositing an electrically conductive material onto a surface of the electroactive polymer element opposite the primary electrode to form a secondary electrode. The cured elastomer material may have a Poisson's ratio of between approximately 0.1 and approximately 0.35. Various other devices, methods, and systems are also disclosed.