Skype-Interview My Academic History and µPAD-Solution Arne Lüker, 30 th of Jan. 2013, IIT Genua/Italy 1 GIVEN TOPIC

µPad and Electroactive Polymers (EAP) 2 Minimal actuator displacement: 5 μm A minimal force of mN A practical upper limit on the diameter of the actuator is 3 mm The device should be light in weight so it doesnt cause extra fatigue to the user. The actuator including the connecting cables should not limit the natural motion of the human being. The operating frequency should be around 250 Hz, since this is more perceivable at low amplitudes of fingertip penetration. Ability to create a moving stimulus (not stationary, so operating at a vibrating mode) Ability to generate fluctuating stimulus (variable magnitude and frequency of the force produced by the actuator on the fingertip) Requirements for an Actuator Design requirements derived from physiological studies of human tactile perception:

Micro Electroactive Elastomer Pin (MEEP) 3 Pin diameter: 1 mm Force: ~ 50 mN Field: ~ 100 kV/mm Displacement: ~ 1 mm Phenomenological Model Physical Model equivalent electromechanical pressure vacuum permittivity dielectric constant of the polymer thickness of the elastomer film Simple Model case t « r cross-sectional area p: inflation pressure ɵ, z : circumferential, axial stress

Challenges and Motivations 4 DE materials: e.g. acrylic adhesives, polyurethane, silicone elastomers and selectively solvated triblock copolymers derived from poly[styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene] (SEBS) (* *) actuations 245%, coupling efficiencies 92% at electric fields of 22 V/m Challenge 1: MEMS-process of MEEP Challenge 2: Synthesis of DE-materials Challenge 3: Modification of DE-material Interesting Challenge and Motivation for the next two years with a Great Impact on different areas of applied sciences!

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