Applications of dielectric elastomer EPAM sensors

While Electroactive Polymer Artificial Muscle (EPAM) has been presented extensively as a solution for actuation and generation technology, EPAM technology can also be used in multiple novel applications as a discrete or integrated sensor. When an EPAM device, an elastic polymer with compliant electrodes, is mechanically deformed, both the capacitance of the EPAM device, as well as the electrode and dielectric resistance, is changed. The capacitance and resistance of the sensor can be measured using various types of circuitry, some of which are presented in this paper. EPAM sensors offer several potential advantages over traditional sensors including operation over large strain ranges, ease of patterning for distinctive sensing capabilities, flexibility to allow unique integration into components, stable performance over a wide temperature range and low power consumption. Some existing challenges facing the commercialization of EPAM sensors are presented, along with solutions describing how those challenges are likely to be overcome. The paper describes several applications for EPAM sensors, such as an integrated diagnostic tool for industrial equipment and sensors for process and systems monitoring.