In many robotic systems, the holding state consumes power, limits operating time, and increases operating costs. Electrostatic clutches have the potential to improve robotic performance by generating holding torques with low power consumption. The key limitation of electrostatic clutches has been their limited ability to generate the holding torques, or high specific shear stresses needed in many applications. Here we show how combining the Johnsen-Rahbek (JR) effect with the exponential tension scaling capstan effect can produce clutches with the highest specific shear stress in the literature. Our system generated 31.3 N/cm^2 sheer stress and a total holding torque of 7.1 Nm while consuming only 2.5 mW/cm^2 at 500 V. We demonstrate a theoretical model of an electrostatic adhesive capstan clutch and demonstrate how large angle (theta > 2 pi) designs increase efficiency over planar or small angle (theta < pi) clutch designs. We also report the first unfilled polymeric material, polybenzimidazole (PBI), to exhibit the JR-effect.

翻译：在许多机器人系统中，保持状态会消耗能量、限制运行时间并增加运行成本。静电离合器能够以低功耗产生保持扭矩，从而有望提升机器人性能。其关键局限性在于难以产生所需的高保持扭矩或高比剪切应力。本文展示了如何将约翰森-拉贝克效应与指数张力放大的绞盘效应相结合，从而制造出文献中比剪切应力最高的离合器。我们的系统在500V电压下仅消耗2.5 mW/cm²的功率，即可产生31.3 N/cm²的剪切应力和7.1 Nm的总保持扭矩。我们建立了静电粘附绞盘离合器的理论模型，并证明大角度（θ > 2π）设计比平面或小角度（θ < π）离合器设计具有更高的效率。此外，我们首次报道了聚苯并咪唑这一未填充聚合物材料表现出JR效应。