Name: ALEXANDRE BERNARDO SANTOS DA SILVA
Publication date: 09/10/2025
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| ARNALDO GOMES LEAL JUNIOR | Examinador Interno |
| CLAYSSON BRUNO SANTOS VIMIEIRO | Examinador Externo |
| RAFHAEL MILANEZI DE ANDRADE | Presidente |
Summary: Advances in motor rehabilitation have driven the development of technologies capable of interacting with the human body. In this context, flexible actuators emerge as a promising alternative to rigid actuators, as they more closely resemble the behavior of natural muscles, enabling their application in wearable robotic joints for rehabilitation. This work presents the development of fiber-constrained dielectric elastomer actuators (FCDEAs). Initially, static tests were conducted to evaluate the influence of parameters such as pre-stretch, dimensions, and mechanical load on displacement and deformation. Subsequently, an optical fiber in a serpentine configuration was embedded within the FCDEA, correlating optical power loss with displacement measured through image tracking techniques. A total of 36 tests were performed under varying geometric and mechanical conditions, along
with oscillatory tests at different excitation ranges (05V ; 100mHz) and frequency-domain analyses using chirp signals and Bode diagrams. The results indicate that the developed actuators are capable of achieving 90% deformation, and the optical fiber proves effective for displacement measurement at low frequencies, showing good correlation between optical power and deformation, particularly at higher excitation amplitudes. Despite the limitations observed in static tests and the reduced accuracy of 69% in the Bode diagram, the dynamic analysis demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed approach for future
applications in actuators and closed-loop control sensing systems.
