Intelligent Soft Actuators with Self-Diagnosis Capabilities

This project aims to utilize a new soft actuator technology to create an intelligent actuator with self-diagnosis capabilities. Specifically, Artimus Robotics will develop and demonstrate the use of embedded capacitive sensing in their core technology, HASEL actuation technology, to predict and avoid failure. HASEL actuation technology is an electrically controlled, analog, and highly compliant soft actuation system that can be customized for a variety of performance requirements, functionalities, and use cases. HASEL actuation technology with self-diagnosis capabilities will directly address a request of this subtopic: development of technologies for enhanced logistics and reliability - Intelligent devices (sensors, actuators, and electronics with self-diagnosis capabilities, calibration on demand, self-healing capabilities, etc.). This intelligent actuator will have applications in various ground and launch systems where electromechanical devices are used. With the self-diagnosis capabilities, the HASEL actuator will be instrumental in contributing to Autonomous Operating Technologies in environments where human intervention is not feasible. The self-diagnosis capabilities will help reduce operation and maintenance cost as it is expected that the self-diagnosis capabilities will be used to inform and mitigate impending failure events while still conserving operation conditions, and thus extend lifetime of the device to increase utilization. The key technical objective is to demonstrate the ability to extend the lifetime of a HASEL actuator by monitoring the impedance, recognizing predetermined indicators of failure, and adjusting the driving signal accordingly. The intelligence of the HASEL actuator will be realized through temporal impedance measurements and informed through extensive experimentation to build out large datasets required to find statistically significant indicators of failure.

Artimus Robotics intends to implement HASEL actuation technology into AOT ground systems that do not currently support Health Determination and Fault Management, enabling prediction, prognosis, and anomaly detection of system and component failure/degradation. An intelligent HASEL actuator with self-diagnosis capabilities will allow actuators used in space applications to adapt to their ever changing environments and prolong its lifetime.

Artimus Robotics will commercialize a HASEL conveyor brake to replace current pneumatic systems that limit control and integration into the industrial internet of things. This product will provide automated conveyor systems, and by extension, industrial markets, with componentry that is electric, intelligent, and controllable enabling self-diagnosis for failure and anomaly prediction.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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