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.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a flexible acoustic-electric substrate and a preparation method thereof, and a flexible acoustic-electric device. The preparation method of a flexible acoustic-electric substrate includes: forming a flexible substrate; forming a plurality of piezoelectric components on the flexible substrate; and forming a plurality of chambers on the flexible substrate in a one-to-one correspondence relationship with the plurality of piezoelectric components, and the plurality of chambers are located on a side of the flexible substrate away from the plurality of piezoelectric components.

A piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) material, a method for manufacturing the same, and a fingerprint recognition module are provided. The polyvinylidene PVDF material includes PVDF, a first solvent, a second solvent, a fluorosurfactant, and an inducing material. Material of the inducing material is one of carbon nanotubes, carbon black, and gold nanorods. Because of the high anisotropy of the inducing material, molecular orientation of the PVDF material is induced, thereby improving piezoelectric performance of the piezoelectric PVDF material. Problems of conventional piezoelectric PVDF materials, which are used in ultrasonic fingerprint recognition modules, such as poor piezoelectric performance and high-energy loss are improved.

Disclosed herein is a buckling actuator, comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; and a film of a dielectric elastomeric material having a first surface and a second surface sandwiched between the first and second electrodes, wherein the material is formed by the random block copolymerisation of a polymeric material comprising silicon or nitrogen atoms that has two or more acrylate or vinyl end groups, and a polar polymeric material having two or more acrylate or vinyl end groups. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming said dielectric elastomeric material.

A sensor that includes a first film having a first main surface and a second main surface, the first film generating a charge according to a deformation amount of the first film; a first electrode on the first main surface; a second electrode on the second main surface; and a first fixing member and a second fixing member constructed to fix the first film, the first electrode, and the second electrode to an article. The first film is dimensioned to occupy an area equal to or more than half a peripheral surface of the article. The second electrode is located closer to the article than the first electrode. The first fixing member is separated from the second fixing member in an extending direction of the article.

A tactile display device comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, supports between a first and a second electrodes, and an electroactive polymer filled between a supports.

An object of the present invention is to provide a laminated piezoelectric element in which piezoelectric films are laminated, capable of easily performing connection of an electrode layer of each piezoelectric film and an external device. The piezoelectric film includes a piezoelectric layer and a laminated sheet in which an electrode layer and a protective layer are laminated, piezoelectric layers are arranged between the laminated sheets facing the electrode layer, the laminated sheet includes a protruding portion protruding from the piezoelectric layer, the protruding portion is provided with a lead-out wire attached to a surface between the electrode layer and the protective layer, and the object is achieved by contacting the lead-out wire and connecting electrode layers having a same polarity of each piezoelectric film.

Provided is a combined actuator and sensor device having an electroactive polymer (EAP) structure (22) and a controller for generating drive signals applied to the EAP structure. The controller is adapted to superpose a small high-frequency AC sensing signal (34) on top of a larger actuation drive signal (32), the sensing signal having a frequency which resonates with the mechanical resonance frequency or anti-resonance frequency of the EAP structure. Application of mechanical loads to the device may be identified in changes in the impedance of the EAP structure, caused by damping of the mechanical resonance. In this way the device facilitates simultaneous sensing and actuation. A corresponding method of simultaneous sensing and actuation is also provided.

An actuator device (21) comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP) and a driver (20) for generating a electrical drive signals which give opposite polarity voltages and thus electrical field within the electroactive polymer at different times. In this way, charge build-up can be reduced or avoided, while prolonged activation times are still possible. This improves the performance and/or lifetime of the device.

An element, including a first electrode, an intermediate layer, and a second electrode, the first electrode, the intermediate layer, and the second electrode being laminated in this order, wherein the intermediate layer has flexibility, and wherein a deformation amount on a side of the first electrode of the intermediate layer is different from a deformation amount on a side of the second electrode of the intermediate layer when a pressure is applied to the intermediate layer in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the intermediate layer.