Liquid-amplified zipping actuators for micro-air vehicles with transmission-free flapping

The Liquid-amplified zipping actuator (LAZA) is a direct-drive artificial muscle system for flapping-wing robots. In contrast to the flapping drives of traditional micro flying robots, that use motors, gears, and complex transmission systems to generate the up-and-down motion of the wings, the LAZA applies electrostatic forces directly at the wing root. This greatly simplifies the flapping mechanism, reducing cost, improving performance, and enabling future miniaturization of flapping robots down to the size of insects. More information can be found in: “T. Helps, C. Romero, M. Taghavi, A. Conn, J. Rossiter. Liquid-amplified zipping actuators for micro-air vehicles with transmission-free flapping, Sci. Robot. 7, abi8189 (2022). LAZA animation by Elastic Pie Films: