Current additive manufacturing, including three-dimensional (3D) and so-called four-dimensional printing, of soft robotic devices is limited to millimeter sizes. In this study, we present additive manufacturing of soft microactuators and microrobots to fabricate even smaller structures in the micrometer domain. Using a custom-built extrusion 3D printer, microactuators are scaled down to a size of 300 × 1000 μm², with minimum thickness of 20 μm. Microactuators combined with printed body and electroactive polymers to drive the actuators are fabricated from computer-aided design model of the device structure. To demonstrate the ease and versatility of 3D printing process, microactuators with varying lengths ranging from 1000 to 5000 μm are fabricated and operated. Likewise, microrobotic devices consisting of a rigid body and individually controlled free-moving arms or legs are 3D printed to explore the microfabrication of soft grippers, manipulators, or microrobots through simple additive manufacturing technique.

中文翻译：

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用于软微型机器人的 3D 打印微执行器

当前软机器人设备的增材制造，包括三维 (3D) 和所谓的四维打印，仅限于毫米尺寸。在这项研究中，我们展示了软微执行器和微型机器人的增材制造，以在微米域中制造更小的结构。使用定制的挤压 3D 打印机，微致动器被缩小到 300 × 1000 μm ^2的尺寸，最小厚度为 20 μm。微致动器与印刷体和电活性聚合物相结合以驱动致动器，由设备结构的计算机辅助设计模型制造。为了展示 3D 打印过程的简便性和多功能性，制造和操作长度从 1000 到 5000 微米不等的微致动器。同样，由刚体和单独控制的自由移动手臂或腿组成的微型机器人设备通过简单的增材制造技术进行 3D 打印，以探索软抓手、机械手或微型机器人的微细加工。