A Silent, Low-Heat Pinch Valve Driven by a Single Rolled Dielectric Elastomer Actuator

Résumé fourni par la source

Fluidic control for untethered soft robots is currently limited by the noise and bulk of solenoid valves. While dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) offer a promising soft alternative, existing designs often rely on high-frequency resonance, which induces mechanical vibration, or complex multiactuator stacking to generate sufficient force. Here, we present a miniature (5.0 g) pinch valve driven by a single rolled DEA operating in a nonresonant mode, simplifying the structural and driving system requirements. Our direct-drive design achieves measured sound levels close to the background noise level ($\sim 49 \text{ dB}$) and low heat generation ($5^{\circ }$C rise) while maintaining a rapid response time ($\sim 20 \text{ ms}$). We further integrate the valve into an untethered pneumatic multilegged robot, demonstrating reliable fluidic control at a locomotion speed of 77.5 cm/min.

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