Development and Evaluation of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators for Assistive Wearable Devices

Intensive rehabilitation after stroke contributes significantly to recovery from hand stiffness and loss of strength. Assistive wearable devices could be used by patients on a daily basis to assist with the rehabilitation process. Unfortunately, robotic devices are currently too large and heavy. To reduce the size and weight of these devices, novel means of actuation other than DC motors need to be considered. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) may provide a solution to the actuation problem. The goal of this paper was to evaluate DEAs as a possible solution to the actuation needs of an assistive wearable device for the wrist. DEAs were fabricated and tested to determine their capabilities in terms of force and range of motion. Although the size and weight of the DEA is ideal for wearable devices, the results show that a single DEA strip of reasonable dimensions is not capable of providing the force or range of motion required. However, there is potential for multiple DEAs to provide a viable solution and should be explored in the future.