W5170124C0261

Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase I

Muscle-like actuators for ARMY applications, including massive robotic deployment

Elysium Robotics has developed a muscle-like actuator that replaces electric motors and enables new robotic, wearable applications and beyond, including a massive, capable, agile and low-maintenance robotic ARMY before 2040. Through a DARPA SBIR (Phase I + Phase II) we have demonstrated high-performance linear actuation modules (TRL 4) that are ready for system integration. These actuators are strong, fast, lightweight, low- power, silent, scalable, and inexpensive. Our muscle-like actuators consist of a bundle of Dielectric Elastomer microfibers that contract, like your muscles, when activated, and through the DARPA SBIR we have developed the material formulations and manufacturing pipeline to produce these modules and demonstrated unprecedented performance, including higher energy density than small motors. Through this ARMY SBIR project we will mature our physical prototypes from a TRL of 4 to 6. For Phase I, we will demonstrate scalability of our microfiber technology by manufacturing modular muscle-like actuators capable of producing a force of 1 N and a displacement of 10 mm (10%). These modules will be capable of actuating the joints of a robotic finger. Efforts will focus on the selection and engineering of a conductive fluid to serve as an inner-conductive electrode within a muscle bundle and supports manufacturability at the micro-scale required to sustain the desired electromechanical performance. From a commercialization perspective, through this SBIR project we will manufacture >10 modules to serve as engineering samples for prosthetic and automation companies how are awaiting them. For Phase II we will increase the size of the modules and collect them to produce actuators capable of 100 N, which would be comparable to a human biceps, and integrate them into demonstrative robotic systems such as fingers, hands, arms and legs.

The goal of phase I is to establish the technical merit, feasibility, and commercial potential of proposed R&D efforts and determine the quality of performance of the small business awardee organization.

A244-P001

A244-P001-0475

24.4

Asha Hall