Development of small robot using piezoelectric benders

Abstract

In this paper, a piezoelectric small robot was proposed and experimented. The piezoelectric bender of the actuator was composed of trapezoid ceramics which were attached on both surfaces of the elastic body. And an X-shaped structure was composed of four piezoelectric ceramic benders. When AC voltages which have different duty ratio were applied to the four benders, the motion of straight line according to a stick slip of the bender tips was obtained. A FEA simulation was used to analyze the motion of straight line. The output characteristics of the prototype actuator which was fabricated based on the analysis data were measured.