Insulated conducting ribbons can be used to make powerful, versatile, ultrathin actuators and smart origami structures.

A lightweight, flexible, high-performance, electrically driven pump can replace large, heavy air supplies in soft robots.

Flapping micro-air vehicles (MAVs) can access a wide range of locations, including confined spaces such as the inside of industrial plants and collapsed buildings, and offer high maneuverability and tolerance to disturbances. However, current flapping MAVs require transmission systems between their actuators and wings, which introduce energetic losses and additional mass, hindering performance. Here, we introduce a high-performance electrostatic flapping actuation system, the liquid-amplified zipping actuator (LAZA), which induces wing movement by direct application of liquid-amplified electrostatic forces at the wing root, eliminating the requirement of any transmission system and their associated downsides. The LAZA allows for accurate control of flapping frequency and amplitude, exhibits no variation in performance over more than 1 million actuation cycles, and delivers peak and average specific powers of 200 and 124 watts per kilogram, respectively, exceeding mammalian and insect flight muscle and on par with modern flapping MAV actuation systems. The inclusion of 50-millimeter-long passively pitching wings in a dragonfly-sized LAZA flapping system allowed the rectification of net directional thrust up to 5.73 millinewtons. This thrust was achieved while consuming only 243 milliwatts of electrical power, implying a thrust-to-power ratio of 23.6 newtons per kilowatt, similar to state-of-the-art flapping MAVs, helicopter rotors, and commercial drone motors. Last, a horizontally moving LAZA flapping system supported by a taut nylon wire was able to accelerate from at-rest and travel at speeds up to 0.71 meters per second. The LAZA enables lightweight, high-performance transmission-free flapping MAVs for long-term remote exploration and search-and-rescue missions.

A cost-effective 3D sponge composed of rubber and conductive wires is introduced, which generates electric energy by periodic compression. It can be fabricated in a symmetric configuration, hence there is not a preferred surface or a specific direction for compression to obtain the energy harvesting or pressure sensing. The energy conversion occurs due to both triboelectric and electrostatic effects, which benefit from the air gap between polymer and wires.

Dielectrophoresis is the electro‐mechanical phenomenon where a force is generated on a dielectric material when exposed to a non‐uniform electric field. It has potential to be exploited in smart materials for robotic manipulation and locomotion, but to date it has been sparsely studied in this area. Herein, a new type of dielectrophoretic actuator exploiting a novel electroactive polymer is described, termed as dielectrophoretic elastomer (DPE), which undergoes electric field‐driven actuation through dielectrophoresis. Unique deflection and morphing behavior of the elastomer induced by controlling the dielectrophoretic phenomenon, such as out‐of‐plane deformation and independence of electric field polarity, are illustrated. The dielectric and mechanical properties of the DPE are studied to gain insight into the influence of materials composition on deformation. Actuation performance using different electrode parameters is experimentally investigated with supplementary analysis through finite element simulation, revealing the relationship between electric field inhomogeneity and deflection. The applications of DPE actuators in a range of robotic devices is demonstrated, including a pump, an adjustable optical lens, and a walking robot. This diverse range of applications illustrates the wide potential of these new soft‐and‐smart electric field‐driven materials for use in soft robotics and soft compliant devices.

Robotic artificial muscles, inspired by the adaptability of biological muscles, outperform rigid robots in dynamic environments due to their flexibility. However, the intrinsic compliance of the soft actuators restricts force transmission capacity and dynamic response. Biological muscle modulates their stiffness and damping, varying viscoelastic properties and force in interaction with the surroundings. Here we replicate this function in the electro-stiffened ribbon actuator, a monolithic strong actuator capable of high contraction and stiffness modulation. electro-stiffened ribbon actuator employs dielectric-liquid-amplified electrostatic forces for contraction, and electrorheological fluid for rapid (<10 ms) stiffness and damping adjustments. This seamless integration enables contractile force modulation, extending its capability as a lightweight variable resistance passive spring by over 2.5 times, and improves its dynamic responses, with faster contractions and rapid attenuation of oscillations by more than 50%. We demonstrate electro-stiffened ribbon actuator’s versatility in active, passive and dual connection functions, including arm-bending wearable robotics, robotic arms with variable impact resistance and muscle-like stiffness and damping modulation.