High-performance liquid metal electromagnetic actuator fabricated by femtosecond laser

Small-scale electromagnetic soft actuators are characterized by a fast response and simple control, holding prospects in the field of soft and miniaturized robotics. The use of liquid metal (LM) to replace a rigid conductor inside soft actuators can reduce the rigidity and enhance the actuation performance and robustness. Despite research efforts, challenges persist in the flexible fabrication of LM soft actuators and in the improvement of actuation performance. To address these challenges, we developed a fast and robust electromagnetic soft microplate actuator based on a laser-induced selective adhesion transfer method. Equipped with unprecedentedly thin LM circuit and customized low Young's modulus silicone rubber (1.03 kPa), our actuator exhibits an excellent deformation angle (265.25 degrees) and actuation bending angular velocity (284.66 rad center dot s-1). Furthermore, multiple actuators have been combined to build an artificial gripper with a wide range of functionalities. Our actuator presents new possibilities for designing small-scale artificial machines and supports advancements in ultrafast soft and miniaturized robotics. Femtosecond lasers provide a highly precise and flexible means of fabrication.The precise motion of the actuator is the Lorentz force driven for control via current.The actuator boasts an ultrafast angular velocity and extensive deformation.The actuators endure 2.4M motion cycles with exceptional robustness.Artificial grippers consisting of actuators capture diverse objects.