Soft actuators producing large motion in a short time are mostly based on stretchable polymers actuated by pneumatic pressure; they consist of bulky components, including a motor, pump/compressor, tubes, and valves. In this study, we develop a fast-responding large-amplitude soft actuator, based on a liquid–gas phase transition, which produces a compact system. The required pressure is generated solely by the electrically induced phase transition of a fluid in a cavity, mimicking the thigmonastic movements found in plants. We discuss the critical design variables to improve the performance and propose a new design for the electrodes, which are the most critical components. Our bending actuator produces large motion in <7 s, using a low-voltage source (<50 V) that allows a much faster response than the soft actuators based on phase transition currently available.

中文翻译：

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基于相变的低压驱动大振幅软执行器

在短时间内产生大运动的软致动器主要基于由气动压力驱动的可拉伸聚合物；它们由笨重的部件组成，包括电机、泵/压缩机、管道和阀门。在这项研究中，我们开发了一种快速响应的大振幅软执行器，它基于液-气相变，产生了一个紧凑的系统。所需的压力仅由腔内流体的电感应相变产生，模仿植物中发现的 thigmonastic 运动。我们讨论了提高性能的关键设计变量，并提出了电极的新设计，这是最关键的组件。我们的弯曲执行器使用低压源（<