Abstract Soft actuators are now required to be smarter to perceive the outside world besides mechanical deformation, which has broader applications in soft robotics, wearable devices and biomedical electronics. However, most of the sensory actuators in previous research were complicated because of the separation of sensing and actuating units. Here, a shape-memory soft actuator integrated with reversible electric/moisture actuating and strain sensing was prepared with a compact sandwich structure. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were used to form a middle composite layer, connecting a hygroscopically deformable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) layer with a high-performance flexible shape memory polymer (FSMP) layer. With the electrothermal AgNP layer, the PVA-AgNPs-FSMP (PAF) composite shows quick recovery (within 10 s) under ultralow voltage (2 V), high strain-sensing sensitivity (1.56 Gauge Factor) and fast response to deformation (110 m s). What is more, the compact construction endows the PAF composite with electrical stability in 1000 bending cycles. Due to the novel combination of PVA, FSMP and AgNPs, the low-power PAF actuator can efficiently load and unload target objects without additional cooling process, and distinguish the presence and weights of them in real time. The results suggest that the soft PAF actuator has great potential applications in soft robotics and biomimetic devices, especially in automated packaging production lines of food, medicine, logistics sorting and other industries.

中文翻译：

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一种集成可逆电/湿气驱动和应变传感的形状记忆软执行器

摘要 除了机械变形之外，现在还要求软执行器更智能地感知外部世界，这在软机器人、可穿戴设备和生物医学电子学中具有更广泛的应用。然而，由于传感和执行单元的分离，先前研究中的大多数传感执行器都很复杂。在这里，用紧凑的三明治结构制备了一种集成了可逆电/湿气驱动和应变传感的形状记忆软致动器。银纳米粒子 (AgNPs) 用于形成中间复合层，将吸湿变形聚乙烯醇 (PVA) 层与高性能柔性形状记忆聚合物 (FSMP) 层连接起来。使用电热 AgNP 层，PVA-AgNPs-FSMP (PAF) 复合材料在超低电压 (2 V) 下显示出快速恢复（10 秒内），应变传感灵敏度高（1.56 应变系数）和对变形的快速响应（110 毫秒）。更重要的是，紧凑的结构使 PAF 复合材料在 1000 次弯曲循环中具有电稳定性。由于 PVA、FSMP 和 AgNPs 的新颖组合，低功耗 PAF 执行器无需额外的冷却过程即可高效地装载和卸载目标物体，并实时区分它们的存在和重量。结果表明，软PAF执行器在软机器人和仿生设备方面具有巨大的应用潜力，尤其是在食品、医药、物流分拣等行业的自动化包装生产线中。紧凑的结构使 PAF 复合材料在 1000 次弯曲循环中具有电稳定性。由于 PVA、FSMP 和 AgNPs 的新颖组合，低功耗 PAF 执行器无需额外的冷却过程即可高效地装载和卸载目标物体，并实时区分它们的存在和重量。结果表明，软PAF执行器在软机器人和仿生设备方面具有巨大的应用潜力，尤其是在食品、医药、物流分拣等行业的自动化包装生产线中。紧凑的结构使 PAF 复合材料在 1000 次弯曲循环中具有电稳定性。由于 PVA、FSMP 和 AgNPs 的新颖组合，低功耗 PAF 执行器无需额外的冷却过程即可高效地装载和卸载目标物体，并实时区分它们的存在和重量。结果表明，软PAF执行器在软机器人和仿生设备方面具有巨大的应用潜力，尤其是在食品、医药、物流分拣等行业的自动化包装生产线中。