High strength and transparent soft electromagnetic actuator with ferrofluid bearings

This thesis presents the development of a new type of soft electromagnetic actuator (SEMA) tailored for wearable haptic applications. This project is motivated by the need for actuators with an improved force-to-weight ratio, sufficient motion stroke, and excellent actuation transparency. Existing soft electromagnetic actuators face challenges such as low force generation capabilities and cooling difficulties, which limit their use in wearable haptic devices. The proposed design integrates soft Halbach permanent magnet arrays and multi-phase soft coils for Lorentz force generation. The design also includes a ferrofluid for bearing and heat conduction enhancement in the air gap. The thesis describes the actuator's design, modeling, simulation, and experimental evaluation. The design process iteratively refines the prototype to optimize performance metrics and overcome challenges encountered during prototyping. We developed analytical and finite element models to simulate the SEMA's behavior and aid in design optimization. Experimental evaluation of the final prototype demonstrates promising thermal behavior and force generation capabilities, laying a solid foundation for future research. Overall, this thesis contributed to the evolution of soft actuator technology, with potential applications in various domains, including haptics, robotics, and wearable technology.