<s>
An	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
is	O
a	O
component	O
of	O
a	O
machine	O
that	O
is	O
responsible	O
for	O
moving	O
and	O
controlling	O
a	O
mechanism	O
or	O
system	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
by	O
opening	O
a	O
valve	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
requires	O
a	O
control	O
device	O
(	O
controlled	O
by	O
control	O
signal	O
)	O
and	O
a	O
source	O
of	O
energy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
it	O
receives	O
a	O
control	O
signal	O
,	O
an	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
responds	O
by	O
converting	O
the	O
source	O
's	O
energy	O
into	O
mechanical	O
motion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
electric	O
,	O
hydraulic	O
,	O
and	O
pneumatic	O
sense	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
a	O
form	O
of	O
automation	B-Application
or	I-Application
automatic	I-Application
control	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
means	O
of	O
a	O
leadscrew	O
,	O
rotary	O
motion	O
can	O
be	O
adapted	O
to	O
function	O
as	O
a	O
linear	B-Algorithm
actuator	I-Algorithm
(	O
a	O
linear	O
motion	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
a	O
linear	O
motor	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
soft	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
is	O
one	O
that	O
changes	O
its	O
shape	O
in	O
response	O
to	O
stimuli	O
including	O
mechanical	O
,	O
thermal	O
,	O
magnetic	O
,	O
and	O
electrical	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
mainly	O
deal	O
with	O
the	O
robotics	O
of	O
humans	O
rather	O
than	O
industry	O
which	O
is	O
what	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
used	O
for	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
most	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
they	O
are	O
mechanically	O
durable	O
yet	O
do	O
not	O
have	O
an	O
ability	O
to	O
adapt	O
compared	O
to	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
apply	O
to	O
mainly	O
safety	O
and	O
healthcare	O
for	O
humans	O
which	O
is	O
why	O
they	O
are	O
able	O
to	O
adapt	O
to	O
environments	O
by	O
disassembling	O
their	O
parts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
why	O
the	O
driven	O
energy	O
behind	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
deal	O
with	O
flexible	O
materials	O
like	O
certain	O
polymers	O
and	O
liquids	O
that	O
are	O
harmless	O
to	O
humans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
hydraulic	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
consists	O
of	O
cylinder	O
or	O
fluid	O
motor	O
that	O
uses	O
hydraulic	O
power	O
to	O
facilitate	O
mechanical	O
operation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
mechanical	O
motion	O
gives	O
an	O
output	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
linear	O
,	O
rotatory	O
or	O
oscillatory	B-Algorithm
motion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
liquids	O
are	O
nearly	O
impossible	O
to	O
compress	O
,	O
a	O
hydraulic	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
can	O
exert	O
a	O
large	O
force	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pneumatic	B-Algorithm
actuators	I-Algorithm
enable	O
considerable	O
forces	O
to	O
be	O
produced	O
from	O
relatively	O
small	O
pressure	O
changes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Moreover	O
,	O
pneumatic	B-Algorithm
actuators	I-Algorithm
are	O
cheaper	O
,	O
and	O
often	O
more	O
powerful	O
than	O
other	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
advantage	O
of	O
pneumatic	B-Algorithm
actuators	I-Algorithm
consists	O
exactly	O
in	O
the	O
high	O
level	O
of	O
force	O
available	O
in	O
a	O
relatively	O
small	O
volume	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
1960	O
,	O
several	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
technologies	O
have	O
been	O
developed	O
,	O
Electric	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
can	O
be	O
classified	O
in	O
the	O
following	O
groups	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
advantages	O
of	O
electromechanical	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
their	O
relatively	O
good	O
level	O
of	O
accuracy	O
with	O
respect	O
to	O
pneumatics	O
,	O
their	O
possible	O
long	O
lifecycle	O
and	O
the	O
little	O
maintenance	O
effort	O
required	O
(	O
might	O
require	O
grease	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
limitation	O
of	O
these	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
the	O
reachable	O
speed	O
,	O
the	O
important	O
dimensions	O
and	O
weight	O
they	O
require	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
main	O
application	O
of	O
such	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
is	O
mainly	O
seen	O
in	O
health	O
care	O
devices	O
and	O
factory	O
automation	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
approach	O
is	O
an	O
electrohydraulic	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
,	O
where	O
the	O
electric	O
motor	O
remains	O
the	O
prime	O
mover	O
but	O
provides	O
torque	O
to	O
operate	O
a	O
hydraulic	O
accumulator	O
that	O
is	O
then	O
used	O
to	O
transmit	O
actuation	O
force	O
in	O
much	O
the	O
same	O
way	O
that	O
diesel	O
engine/hydraulics	O
are	O
typically	O
used	O
in	O
heavy	O
equipment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
no	O
brake	O
is	O
installed	O
,	O
the	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
gets	O
activated	O
to	O
reclose	O
the	O
valve	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
slowly	O
forced	O
open	O
again	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
sets	O
up	O
an	O
oscillation	B-Algorithm
(	O
open	O
,	O
close	O
,	O
open	O
...	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
motor	O
and	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
will	O
eventually	O
become	O
damaged	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Linear	O
motors	O
are	O
different	O
from	O
electromechanical	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
,	O
they	O
work	O
with	O
the	O
same	O
principle	O
as	O
electric	O
rotary	O
motors	O
,	O
in	O
effect	O
it	O
can	O
be	O
thought	O
as	O
a	O
rotary	O
motor	O
which	O
has	O
been	O
cut	O
and	O
unrolled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
the	O
limitations	O
of	O
pneumatics	O
,	O
the	O
current	O
electric	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
technology	O
is	O
a	O
viable	O
solution	O
for	O
specific	O
industry	O
applications	O
and	O
it	O
has	O
been	O
successfully	O
introduced	O
in	O
market	O
segments	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
watchmaking	O
,	O
semiconductor	O
and	O
pharmaceutical	O
industries	O
(	O
as	O
high	O
as	O
60%	O
of	O
the	O
applications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
have	O
a	O
low	O
force	O
density	O
respect	O
to	O
pneumatic	O
and	O
electromechanical	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rotary	O
motors	O
are	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
that	O
use	O
a	O
piece	O
of	O
energy	O
to	O
form	O
an	O
oscillatory	B-Algorithm
motion	O
at	O
a	O
certain	O
angle	O
of	O
movement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rotary	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
can	O
have	O
up	O
to	O
a	O
rotation	O
of	O
360	O
degrees	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Fluid	O
powered	O
rotary	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
have	O
5	O
sub-sections	O
of	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
such	O
as	O
Scotch	O
Yoke	O
,	O
Vane	O
,	O
Rack-and-Pinion	O
,	O
Helical	O
,	O
and	O
Electrohydraulic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Applications	O
for	O
the	O
rotary	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
just	O
about	O
endless	O
but	O
,	O
will	O
more	O
than	O
likely	O
be	O
found	O
dealing	O
with	O
mostly	O
hydraulic	O
pressured	O
devices	O
and	O
industries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rotary	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
even	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
robotics	O
field	O
when	O
seeing	O
robotic	O
arms	O
in	O
industry	O
lines	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Anything	O
you	O
see	O
that	O
deals	O
with	O
motion	O
control	O
systems	O
to	O
perform	O
a	O
task	O
in	O
technology	O
is	O
a	O
good	O
chance	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
rotary	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Actuators	B-Algorithm
which	O
can	O
be	O
actuated	B-Algorithm
by	O
applying	O
thermal	O
or	O
magnetic	O
energy	O
to	O
a	O
solid-state	O
material	O
have	O
been	O
used	O
in	O
commercial	O
applications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Thermal	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
can	O
be	O
triggered	O
by	O
temperature	O
or	O
heating	O
through	O
the	O
Joule	O
effect	O
and	O
tend	O
to	O
be	O
compact	O
,	O
lightweight	O
,	O
economical	O
and	O
with	O
high	O
power	O
density	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
use	O
shape	O
memory	O
materials	O
such	O
as	O
shape-memory	O
alloys	O
(	O
SMAs	O
)	O
or	O
magnetic	O
shape-memory	O
alloys	O
(	O
MSMAs	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
mechanical	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
functions	O
to	O
execute	O
movement	O
by	O
converting	O
one	O
kind	O
of	O
motion	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
rotary	O
motion	O
,	O
into	O
another	O
kind	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
linear	O
motion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
operation	O
of	O
mechanical	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
is	O
based	O
on	O
combinations	O
of	O
structural	O
components	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
gears	O
and	O
rails	O
,	O
or	O
pulleys	O
and	O
chains	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
majority	O
of	O
the	O
existing	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
fabricated	O
using	O
multistep	O
low	O
yield	O
processes	O
such	O
as	O
micro-moulding	O
,	O
solid	O
freeform	O
fabrication	O
,	O
and	O
mask	O
lithography	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
avoid	O
the	O
tedious	O
and	O
time-consuming	O
aspects	O
of	O
the	O
current	O
fabrication	O
processes	O
,	O
researchers	O
are	O
exploring	O
an	O
appropriate	O
manufacturing	O
approach	O
for	O
effective	O
fabrication	O
of	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Therefore	O
,	O
special	O
soft	O
systems	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
fabricated	O
in	O
a	O
single	O
step	O
by	O
rapid	O
prototyping	O
methods	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
3D	O
printing	O
,	O
are	O
utilized	O
to	O
narrow	O
the	O
gap	O
between	O
the	O
design	O
and	O
implementation	O
of	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
,	O
making	O
the	O
process	O
faster	O
,	O
less	O
expensive	O
,	O
and	O
simpler	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
enable	O
incorporation	O
of	O
all	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
components	O
into	O
a	O
single	O
structure	O
eliminating	O
the	O
need	O
to	O
use	O
external	O
joints	O
,	O
adhesives	O
,	O
and	O
fasteners	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shape	O
memory	O
polymer	O
(	O
SMP	O
)	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
the	O
most	O
similar	O
to	O
our	O
muscles	O
,	O
providing	O
a	O
response	O
to	O
a	O
range	O
of	O
stimuli	O
such	O
as	O
light	O
,	O
electrical	O
,	O
magnetic	O
,	O
heat	O
,	O
pH	O
,	O
and	O
moisture	O
changes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
advent	O
of	O
3D	O
printers	O
has	O
made	O
a	O
new	O
pathway	O
for	O
fabricating	O
low-cost	O
and	O
fast	O
response	O
SMP	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
LAP	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
can	O
be	O
controlled	O
remotely	O
with	O
instant	O
response	O
and	O
,	O
without	O
any	O
physical	O
contact	O
,	O
only	O
with	O
the	O
variation	O
of	O
light	O
frequency	O
or	O
intensity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
need	O
for	O
soft	O
,	O
lightweight	O
and	O
biocompatible	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
in	O
soft	O
robotics	O
has	O
influenced	O
researchers	O
for	O
devising	O
pneumatic	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
because	O
of	O
their	O
intrinsic	O
compliance	O
nature	O
and	O
ability	O
to	O
produce	O
muscle	O
tension	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Polymers	O
such	O
as	O
dielectric	B-Algorithm
elastomers	I-Algorithm
(	O
DE	O
)	O
,	O
ionic	O
polymer	O
metal	O
composites	O
(	O
IPMC	O
)	O
,	O
ionic	O
electroactive	O
polymers	O
,	O
polyelectrolyte	O
gels	O
,	O
and	O
gel-metal	O
composites	O
are	O
common	O
materials	O
to	O
form	O
3D	O
layered	O
structures	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
tailored	O
to	O
work	O
as	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
EAP	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
categorized	O
as	O
3D	O
printed	O
soft	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
that	O
respond	O
to	O
electrical	O
excitation	O
as	O
deformation	O
in	O
their	O
shape	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
engineering	O
,	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
frequently	O
used	O
as	O
mechanisms	O
to	O
introduce	O
motion	O
,	O
or	O
to	O
clamp	O
an	O
object	O
so	O
as	O
to	O
prevent	O
motion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
electronic	O
engineering	O
,	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
a	O
subdivision	O
of	O
transducers	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
other	O
hand	O
,	O
some	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
intrinsically	O
linear	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
piezoelectric	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Screw	O
:	O
Screw	O
jack	O
,	O
ball	B-Algorithm
screw	I-Algorithm
and	O
roller	O
screw	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
all	O
operate	O
on	O
the	O
principle	O
of	O
the	O
simple	O
machine	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
screw	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
rotating	O
the	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
's	O
nut	O
,	O
the	O
screw	O
shaft	O
moves	O
in	O
a	O
line	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wheel	O
and	O
axle	O
:	O
Hoist	B-Algorithm
,	O
winch	O
,	O
rack	O
and	O
pinion	O
,	O
chain	O
drive	O
,	O
belt	O
drive	O
,	O
rigid	B-Algorithm
chain	I-Algorithm
and	O
rigid	B-Algorithm
belt	I-Algorithm
actuators	I-Algorithm
operate	O
on	O
the	O
principle	O
of	O
the	O
wheel	O
and	O
axle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
virtual	O
instrumentation	O
,	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
and	O
sensors	O
are	O
the	O
hardware	O
complements	O
of	O
virtual	O
instruments	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Performance	O
metrics	O
for	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
include	O
speed	O
,	O
acceleration	O
,	O
and	O
force	O
(	O
alternatively	O
,	O
angular	O
speed	O
,	O
angular	O
acceleration	O
,	O
and	O
torque	O
)	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
energy	O
efficiency	O
and	O
considerations	O
such	O
as	O
mass	O
,	O
volume	O
,	O
operating	O
conditions	O
,	O
and	O
durability	O
,	O
among	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
considering	O
force	O
in	O
actuators	B-Algorithm
for	O
applications	O
,	O
two	O
main	O
metrics	O
should	O
be	O
considered	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Static	O
load	O
is	O
the	O
force	O
capability	O
of	O
the	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
while	O
not	O
in	O
motion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Conversely	O
,	O
the	O
dynamic	O
load	O
of	O
the	O
actuator	B-Algorithm
is	O
the	O
force	O
capability	O
while	O
in	O
motion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Actuators	B-Algorithm
are	O
commonly	O
rated	O
using	O
the	O
standard	O
IP	O
Code	O
rating	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
