Actuators articles from across Nature Portfolio

Actuators are the input and output devices that connect electronic, hydraulic or pneumatic control systems to their environment. They convert external forces or conditions, such as temperature, into a form that can be processed by the control system, and vice versa. Examples include electrical motors or pneumatic pistons.

Latest Research and Reviews

Research
17 March 2023 | Open Access

Polyvinyl chloride-based dielectric elastomer with high permittivity and low viscoelasticity for actuation and sensing

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are widely used in soft actuators but existing DE actuators often require high driving electrical fields. Here the authors demonstrate that introducing cyanoethyl cellulose into plasticized PVC gel confers high dielectric permittivity and allows the fabrication of elastomer actuators with high permittivity and low viscoelasticity
- Jianjian Huang
- , Xiaodie Zhang
- & Dongjie Guo
Nature Communications 14, 1483
Research | 15 February 2023

Autonomous self-burying seed carriers for aerial seeding

A study describes a wood-based, three-tailed, biodegradable seed carrier that self-drills into the ground in response to moisture fluctuations with a success rate higher than that of natural self-drilling seeds.
- Danli Luo
- , Aditi Maheshwari
- & Lining Yao
Nature 614, 463-470
Research
10 February 2023 | Open Access

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal elastomers as moldable shape-programmable material

Development of Soft shape-memory materials is often limited to the synthesis of two-dimensional specimens and rely on bending mechanisms and scaffolding topology to perform three-dimensional morphing. Here, the authors demonstrate a shape-memory composite material made from main-chain liquid crystal elastomer microparticles dispersed in a silicone polymer matrix which enables molding into full-volume objects of any shape or size.
- Matej Bobnar
- , Nikita Derets
- & Andraž Rešetič
Nature Communications 14, 764
Research
11 January 2023 | Open Access

Bio-inspired magnetic-driven folded diaphragm for biomimetic robot

Soft robotics holds promise for realizing easy control over complex locomotion and deformation. Lin et al. report an earthworm-inspired untethered magnetic robot that consists one-piece-mold folded diaphragm to achieve large three-dimensional deformation with inside-volume change capability.
- Dezhao Lin
- , Fan Yang
- & Ruihong Li
Nature Communications 14, 163
Research
03 January 2023 | Open Access

High-performance Marangoni hydrogel rotors with asymmetric porosity and drag reduction profile

Utilizing the Marangoni effect, miniaturized machineries can be endowed with self-propulsion. Here, the authors report high-performance Marangoni hydrogel rotors with asymmetric porosity and drag reduction profile and demonstrate multiple potential functionalities.
- Hao Wu
- , Yiyu Chen
- & Dong Wu
Nature Communications 14, 20
Research
30 December 2022 | Open Access

Peristaltic micropump using polyvinyl chloride gels with micropatterned surface
- Tomoki Motohashi
- , Naoki Ogawa
- & Jun Shintake
Scientific Reports 12, 22608

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News and Comment

News & Views | 01 November 2022

Human muscle-like actuation realized with graphene–liquid crystalline elastomer composites

A strong and tough human muscle-like actuator fibre is developed by exploiting 2D graphene fillers within a liquid crystalline elastomer matrix. Reversible percolation of the graphene filler network endows the artificial muscle with a work capacity and power density beyond those of human or mammalian muscles.

Nature Nanotechnology 17, 1132-1133
Comments & Opinion | 03 October 2022

Materials and devices for immersive virtual reality

The metaverse may change the way we live and interact with one another, and its potential applications range from entertainment to health care. Extended reality is the main technology to realize the highly realistic, interactive and immersive metaverse experience, and wearable electronic devices and materials are at its core.
- Kyung Rok Pyun
- , John A. Rogers
- & Seung Hwan Ko
Nature Reviews Materials 7, 841-843
Research Highlights | 29 September 2022

A soft robot that mimics aortic stenosis

An article in Nature Biomedical Engineering reports a soft robotic aortic sleeve that can reproduce the blood dynamics associated with aortic stenosis, acting as a reliable model for the disease.
- Giulia Pacchioni
Nature Reviews Materials 7, 845
Research Highlights | 26 September 2022

A contorted crystal rolls continuously

An article in the Journal of the American Chemical Society reports azobenzene crystals that roll continuously under visible light, thanks to crystal packing effects that shift azobenzene’s light-responsive window.
- Ariane Vartanian
Nature Reviews Materials 7, 752
Research Highlights | 29 March 2022

Actuating sub-millimetre robots
- Katharina Zeissler
Nature Electronics 5, 127
News & Views | 23 November 2021

Popping, locking robots

An interplay between deswelling and buckling in a polymer gel is harnessed to achieve sequential snap events for repeatable jumping motion, opening the door to autonomously moving soft robots.
- Johannes T. B. Overvelde
Nature Materials 20, 1590-1591

All News & Comment

Actuators articles from across Nature Portfolio

Latest Research and Reviews

Polyvinyl chloride-based dielectric elastomer with high permittivity and low viscoelasticity for actuation and sensing

Autonomous self-burying seed carriers for aerial seeding

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal elastomers as moldable shape-programmable material

Bio-inspired magnetic-driven folded diaphragm for biomimetic robot

High-performance Marangoni hydrogel rotors with asymmetric porosity and drag reduction profile

Peristaltic micropump using polyvinyl chloride gels with micropatterned surface

News and Comment

Human muscle-like actuation realized with graphene–liquid crystalline elastomer composites

Materials and devices for immersive virtual reality

A soft robot that mimics aortic stenosis

A contorted crystal rolls continuously

Actuating sub-millimetre robots

Popping, locking robots

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