Artificial muscle stacks comprising alternatingly offset artificial muscle layers

An artificial muscle stack comprising:

• three or more artificial muscle layers, wherein each artificial muscle layer comprises one or more artificial muscles, the one or more artificial muscles comprising:
• a housing comprising an electrode region and an expandable fluid region;
• a dielectric fluid housed within the housing;
• and
• an electrode pair comprising a first electrode and a second electrode positioned in the electrode region of the housing, wherein:
• the first electrode and the second electrode each comprise two or more tab portions and two or more bridge portions;
• each of the two or more bridge portions interconnects adjacent tab portions;
• and
• at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a central opening positioned between the two or more tab portions and encircling the expandable fluid region;
• and
• wherein:
• each inner artificial muscle layer is offset a first adjacent artificial muscle layer along a first tab axis and offset a second adjacent artificial muscle layer along a second tab axis;
• and
• each tab axis extends from a center axis of the expandable fluid region to an end of at least one of the two or more tab portions of the one or more artificial muscles of the inner artificial muscle layer.

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

• generating a voltage using a power supply electrically coupled to an electrode pair of each artificial muscle of a plurality of artificial muscle layers, wherein:
• each artificial muscle comprises a housing having an electrode region and an expandable fluid region;
• a dielectric fluid is housed within the housing;
• and
• the electrode pair comprises a first electrode and a second electrode and is positioned in the electrode region of the housing, wherein:
• the first electrode and the second electrode each comprise two or more tab portions and two or more bridge portions;
• each of the two or more bridge portions interconnects adjacent tab portions;
• and
• at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a central opening positioned between the two or more tab portions and encircling the expandable fluid region, wherein the plurality of artificial muscle layers are arranged such that the expandable fluid region of each artificial muscle of each artificial muscle layer overlaps at least one tab portion of one or more artificial muscles of an adjacent artificial muscle layer;
• and
• applying the voltage to the electrode pair of at least one artificial muscle of at least one of the plurality of artificial muscle layers, thereby actuating the electrode pair of the at least one artificial muscle from a non-actuated state to an actuated state such that dielectric fluid is directed into the expandable fluid region of the housing and expands the expandable fluid region.