SPIE Proceedings (2016), 979822
B Osmani, H Deyhle, FM Weiss, T Töpper, M Karapetkova, V Leung, B Müller
Dielectric actuators (DEAs) often referred to as artificial muscles are promising devices for biomedical applications. Flat DEAs are commonly comprised of elastomers sandwiched between two compliant electrodes. Researchers from the University of Basel developed an approach to improve the interface between the elastomer and the electrodes. The Flex-ANA system was used to evaluate and compare the effects the interface and the electrode thickness have on the overall elastic modulus of the DEA, which is a crucial parameter for design and operation of future implant devices.
Image courtesy Bekim Osmani, Biomaterials Science Center, University of Basel
