Symposia & Program

Soft Actuators

Organizers:

Representative
Prof. Hidenori Okuzaki University of Yamanashi
Correspondence
Dr. Kinji Asaka Advanced Industrial Science and Technology asaka-kinji@aist.go.jp
Co-Organizers
Prof. Ryo Yoshida University of Tokyo
Dr. Seiki Chiba Chiba Science Inst.
Prof. Yoshiro Tajitsu Kansai Univerity
Dr. Kimio Sumaru National Institute of AIST
Prof. Minoru Hashimoto Shinshu University
Dr. Masaki Fuchiwaki Kyushu Inst. of Tech.
Prof. Takeshi Yamauchi Niigata University

Scope:

Soft actuators are devices based on polymer -based materials whose size or shape can change in respone to various stimuli such as thermic, electric, light-, magneto, and chemical ones. Soft actuators have many advantages as compared to conventional actuators and are expected to many emerged applicaitons such as various biomedical, MEMS, portable electronics, etc. This symposium will cover recent progress of research and development on materials, devices, control methods and applicaitons of soft actuators. This symposium will also cover the research and development of those of related topics including machanical sensor and energy harvesting using soft materials. This symposium wll also cover current researches of actuators based on bio-materials as future perspectives of artificial msucle technology.

Topics:

1. Polymer actuators
2. Polymer mechanical sensors
3. Polymer energy harvestors
4. Bio-materials
5. Artificail muscles