Active actuation of the adhesive pads is important for a gecko-robot climbing on walls. We demonstrate the fabrication of an ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuator enhanced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and its use for actively actuating an adhesive array to imitate the locomotion of gecko's toes. The as-fabricated IPMC actuator doped with CNTs exhibits a maximum blocking force of 3.59 gf driven at a low voltage of 3 V. It can be easily controlled by voltage signals to actuate an artificial gecko's toe to attach and detach from a surface. This will allow active, distributed actuation in a gecko robot.
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.© 2012 American Institute of Physics.
2012
American Institute of Physics
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