image: An underwater robot developed by NTNU. This study first establishes a cylindrical dynamic model of dielectric elastomers to deeply analyze the deformation behavior of DEs under the action of electric fields and radial forces. Subsequently, taking the eel as the bionic object, tubular actuators and tubular segment drive modules for improving manufacturability are designed. These modules are connected in series and the head component, tail component and tail fin are installed, eventually creating an eel-like robot based on dielectric elastomers.
Credit: Chenghong Zhang, 2025, PLOS One, CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
A new eel-inspired swimming robot made of soft electroactive polymer can minimize harm to wildlife and fragile structures while exploring underwater environments
Article URL: http://plos.io/4enskqV
Article title: An eel-like robot based on a dielectric elastomer
Author countries: China
Funding: This work was supported by the Joint Open Fund of Guizhou Provincial Department of Education (Grant no. [2022] 439) and the academic new seedling cultivation and free exploration and innovation of Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Department (Grant no. [2023] 11). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Journal
PLOS One
Article Title
An eel-like robot based on a dielectric elastomer
Article Publication Date
9-Jul-2025
COI Statement
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.