Design of a rotary dielectric elastomer actuator using topology optimization method

Dielectric elastomer (DE) known as the electromechanical transducers has been widely discovered and used in sensors, generators and actuators decades earlier. Number of DE actuators including the linear actuator, bending actuator and rotational actuator has been designed utilizing concept design method. This paper proposes a novel method for the design of DE actuator by using topology optimization method to seek the electrode distribution in a given DE domain. Theoretical modeling and simulation analysis have been discussed in more detail after which a rotational actuator has been designed utilizing this method.