Abstract
Electro-Conjugate Fluid (ECF) is a kind of dielectric fluids and a kind of functional fluids, which produces jet-flow(ECF-jet) by applying high voltage between electrodes. The ECF-jet generated between needle-type electrodes and ring-type electrodes is called ECF-jet with needle-type electrodes. It is ascertained that the pressure due to ECF-jet with needle-type electrodes is increased by miniaturizing dimensions of the electrodes. The characteristics are suitable for microactuator. Therefore, the purpose of this study is the realization of novel micro manipulators driven by ECF-jet. In this paper, first, characteristics of ECF-jet with needle-type electrode are experimentally investigated. Second, a novel microactuator which is actuated by the same principle as well-known Bourdon tubes is fabricated. Third, static characteristics of the microactuator is experimentally investigated. Finally, another type microactuator, two-degree-of-freedom micro ECF manipulator is fabricated. Future works are fabrication and investigation of a microhand constructed with more than three micromanipulators.
