Soft robots require soft actuators for mobility and functionality. To integrate multiple functions in a limited space, researchers are developing multifunctional soft actuators with several functions integrated in one device. This study successfully demonstrates an electroluminescent (EL) soft actuator, a single device with both light-emitting and actuating capabilities, using liquid dielectric and uniformly dispersed EL phosphor particles. EL phosphor particles are copper-doped zinc sulfide (ZnS) particles doped with copper. The work is able to disperse the ZnS particles uniformly in the oil by coating the ZnS particles with silica, ensuring consistent luminescence across the device's active area. The performance of the soft actuator is notable, with a strain of 25% and a maximum EL intensity of 23 cd m⁻² for a single actuator. When stacking multiple actuators, the intensity exceeds 29 cd m⁻². The findings suggest that EL actuator devices will be valuable smart components for soft robots and interactive sensors. They can effectively represent external stimuli through color signals, expanding the capabilities of these systems.

中文翻译：

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基于介电液体的多功能软致动器，具有同时亮度和举重能力

软机器人需要软执行器来实现移动性和功能性。为了在有限的空间内集成多种功能，研究人员正在开发多功能软执行器，将多种功能集成在一个设备中。这项研究成功地展示了一种电致发光 (EL) 软致动器，这是一种具有发光和致动功能的单一器件，使用液体电介质和均匀分散的 EL 荧光粉颗粒。 EL荧光粉颗粒是掺杂有铜的铜掺杂硫化锌(ZnS)颗粒。该工作通过在 ZnS 颗粒上涂上二氧化硅，能够将 ZnS 颗粒均匀地分散在油中，从而确保整个器件的活动区域发光一致。软致动器的性能引人注目，单个致动器的应变为25%，最大EL强度为23 cd m ^-2 。当堆叠多个致动器时，强度超过29 cd m ^-2。研究结果表明，EL 致动器设备将成为软机器人和交互式传感器的有价值的智能组件。它们可以通过颜色信号有效地表示外部刺激，从而扩展了这些系统的功能。