Intermuscular ridged boards for artificial muscle devices under heavy lift conditions

A method for actuating an artificial muscle device, the method comprising:

• providing a voltage using a power supply electrically coupled to an electrode pair of each of a plurality of artificial muscles in an artificial muscle stack, the plurality of artificial muscles disposed between intermuscular boards in an alternating pattern, wherein:
• the plurality of artificial muscles each comprise a housing having an electrode region and an expandable fluid region;
• the electrode pair is positioned in the electrode region of the housing;
• the electrode pair comprises a first electrode and a second electrode;
• and
• a dielectric fluid is housed within the housing;
• and
• applying the voltage to the electrode pair of each artificial muscle, thereby actuating the electrode pair such that the dielectric fluid is directed into the expandable fluid region of the housing and expands the expandable fluid region, thereby applying pressure to each intermuscular board.

An artificial muscle device comprising:

• a layered actuation structure comprising actuation platforms interleaved with mounting platforms to form actuation cavities therebetween;
• a plurality of intermuscular boards;
• a plurality of artificial muscles disposed between the intermuscular boards in an alternating pattern and communicatively coupled to a controller, wherein each of the one or more artificial muscles comprise:
• a housing comprising an electrode region and an expandable fluid region;
• a dielectric fluid housed within the housing;
• and
• an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing, the electrode pair comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region, expanding the expandable fluid region, thereby applying pressure to the intermuscular boards,
• wherein:
• at least one artificial muscle and at least one intermuscular board is disposed in each of the actuation cavities;
• and
• each intermuscular board is configured to:
• receive uneven pressure from one of the plurality of artificial muscles;
• and
• spread the uneven pressure and apply it in a direction away from the one of the plurality of artificial muscles.