Dynamic analysis of a high-bandwidth, large-strain, PZT cellular muscle actuator with layered strain amplification

This paper presents the dynamic analysis of an artificial muscle actuator designed for high-bandwidth, power- law strain amplification. The actuator is based on a nested cellular architecture of PZT stack actuators. Most smart material actuators have seen limited use in mobile robotic applications because of their small strain, low stress capacity, low bandwidth, and stringent input requirements. The proposed actuator design overcomes these limitations and can serve as a high-bandwidth multifunctional artificial muscle. The dynamic characteristics of the actuator design are derived analytically and validated experimentally. A test system mimicking flapping flight is then used to illustrate the actuator dynamics.