Electromechanical actuators for robotics and positioning

Whether it's a question of converting motion energy into electricity or, conversely, performing a mechanical action from an electrical source, electromechanical machines and actuators are an essential vector for technological development. From electric flight controls to micro-systems, the multiple functionalities of "all-electricity" are available in a wide variety of concepts and structures. What's more, the emergence of "electroactive" materials, endowed with unprecedented properties and functionalities, is a powerful incentive to envisage future challenges in sectors as varied as aeronautics and medicine.

This dossier provides an overview of the basic concepts and technologies used in electromechanical actuators.

The first part is devoted to an analysis of the elementary physical phenomena and processes likely to achieve the desired energy conversion [D 3 410] , [D 3 411] .

The second part [D 5 342] describes the main families of actuators based on these principles. The case of electromagnetic effect structures [D 3 720] and that of actuators and systems based on electroactive materials [D 3 765] are considered in turn. The proposed analysis highlights the intrinsic properties that characterize the various technologies involved....