Mimosa-inspired Electrohydraulic Soft Actuator with Fast Response

Soft actuators are intrinsically safe to surroundings and adaptable when operated in unstructured environments, thereby offering capabilities beyond conventional actuators based on rigid components. However, the challenge of achieving both lightweight and rapid response still remains. Inspired by the Mimosa pudica, we propose a novel approach to developing a biomimetic soft actuator, utilizing hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) technology. We proposed the fabrication procedure of the actuator based on widely available materials. Experimental results show that the HASEL Mimosa actuators could replicate the plant’s nature of significant deformation and rapid response, underscoring their application prospects in soft robotics, bioengineering, and human-robot interaction.