Electroactive Polymer Actuators for Unmanned Vehicles

Unmanned undersea and surface vehicles must be comprised of equipment that can endure the strenuous conditions present in the ocean environment. This may include high shocks caused by battering of ocean waves and intense pressures. Both can cause detrimental damage to moving parts and mechanical equipment, in particular small scale and delicate motor parts present in unmanned systems, and may result in a significantly shortened operation lifetime. One possible remedy exists in the form of electroactive polymers, which typically have the benefit of high elasticity and long lifetime, as well as the added benefit of ionic or electric conductivity. As a result of their unique properties, they have been of great interest in recent years for a wide variety of potential applications such as in artificial muscles and soft robotics. Mainstream proposes a compact design for a rotary electroactive polymer based actuator designed for unmanned undersea and surface vehicles (UxV) suitable for use in seawater environments. The chosen electroactive polymer and unique high surface area electrode components will ensure the low power consumption requirements, while the miniaturization and reduction of mechanical parts will reduce likelihood of damage from shock found in ocean surface environments.