Appendage pressurization devices comprising artificial muscles

A method for actuating an appendage pressurization device, the method comprising:

• generating a voltage using a power supply electrically coupled to an electrode pair of an artificial muscle, the artificial muscle disposed in an appendage strap, wherein:
• the artificial muscle comprises 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 fixed to a first surface of the housing and a second electrode fixed to a second surface of the housing;
• and
• a dielectric fluid is housed within the housing;
• and
• a pressure sensor is affixed to the housing and communicatively coupled to a controller;
• applying the voltage to the electrode pair of the artificial muscle, thereby actuating the electrode pair from a non-actuated state to an actuated state 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 an inner layer of the appendage strap;
• outputting, via the pressure sensor, a pressure value to the controller;
• receiving, from the controller, an updated pressure value at the artificial muscle to maintain a consistent amount of pressure at the inner layer of the appendage strap based upon the pressure value;
• and
• adjusting the actuation of the artificial muscle to maintain the consistent amount of pressure at the inner layer of the appendage strap.

An appendage pressurization device comprising:

• an appendage brace;
• an appendage strap coupled to the appendage brace;
• a plurality of artificial muscles disposed in the appendage strap and communicatively coupled to a controller, wherein each artificial muscle comprises:
• 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 fixed to a first surface of the housing and a second electrode fixed to a second surface of the housing, 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, thereby expanding the expandable fluid region;
• a pressure sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to output a current pressure value to the controller;
• and
• the controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
• receive the current pressure value from one the pressure sensor;
• output an updated pressure value to artificial muscles, wherein a consistent amount of pressure at an inner layer of the appendage strap is maintained based upon a feedback loop maintained by the controller in coordination with the pressure sensor;
• and
• modify actuation of the plurality of artificial muscles based upon the updated pressure value.