Hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic transducers harnessing zipping mechanism

A method of using an electro-hydraulic actuator, comprising:

• providing an electro-hydraulic actuator, comprising:
• a deformable shell that defines an enclosed internal cavity;
• a liquid dielectric contained within the enclosed internal cavity;
• a first electrode disposed over a first side of the enclosed internal cavity;
• and
• a second electrode disposed over a second side of the enclosed internal cavity, wherein a distance between the first and second electrodes decreases from a first reference point on an axis through the enclosed internal cavity to a second reference point on the axis in the absence of a voltage being applied to the first and second electrodes;
• applying a first voltage to the first and second electrodes to generate electrostatic forces between the first and second electrodes;
• drawing the first and second electrodes towards each other using the electrostatic forces generated during the applying the first voltage;
• displacing, during the drawing, a liquid dielectric contained within a flexible shell and disposed between the first and second electrodes;
• and
• flexing a portion of the flexible shell with the displaced liquid dielectric, wherein a first portion of the deformable shell on the first side of the internal cavity comprises a first stiffness, wherein a second portion of the deformable shell on the first side of the internal cavity comprises a second stiffness, and wherein the first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness.

A method of using an electro-hydraulic actuator, comprising:

• providing an electro-hydraulic actuator, comprising:
• a deformable shell that defines an enclosed internal cavity;
• a liquid dielectric contained within the enclosed internal cavity;
• a first electrode disposed over a first side of the enclosed internal cavity;
• and
• a second electrode disposed over a second side of the enclosed internal cavity, wherein a distance between the first and second electrodes decreases from a first reference point on a first reference axis through the enclosed internal cavity to a second reference point on the first reference axis in the absence of a voltage being applied to the first and second electrodes;
• applying an increasing voltage to the first and second electrodes to generate electrostatic forces between the first and second electrodes;
• progressively drawing the first and second electrodes towards each other using the electrostatic forces generated during the applying the first voltage from the second reference point towards the first reference point;
• displacing, during the progressively drawing, a liquid dielectric contained within a flexible shell and disposed between the first and second electrodes;
• and
• flexing a portion of the flexible shell with the displaced liquid dielectric, wherein a first portion of the deformable shell on the first side of the internal cavity comprises a first stiffness, wherein a second portion of the deformable shell on the first side of the internal cavity comprises a second stiffness, and wherein the first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness.