About Ron Pelrine

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Dr. Ron Pelrine has over 30 years of experience in research, concept design and development, prototypes, inventions, and more than 100 patents. He served as chief scientist in both the Robotics and Applied Physics Programs at SRI International, where he oversaw the development of electroactive polymer actuators, generators, and materials, electrically controlled adhesion, micromachines, magnetics, robotics, magnetic-based sensors, and thermal and fluid modeling.

Ron has worked on projects such as pulse rate sensor signal processing, design of a magnetically clamped pipeline robot, design of diamagnetic sensors, micro-motors, micro robotics, and cleanroom devices. He is also responsible for the discovery, design, and development of electroactive polymer actuators and generators, polymer actuated robotics, wall-climbing robots, and electro adhesion. Ron is a principal inventor of dielectric elastomers, a type of electroactive polymer often referred to as artificial muscle.

In 2006, Ron received SRI’s Fellows Award, which recognizes exceptional staff members for their outstanding accomplishments and is SRI’s highest recognition for technical, scientific, or professional contributions. In 2011 he was recognized by the European Scientific Network for Artificial Muscle (ESNAM) for the invention and development of Dielectric Elastomer Artificial Muscle technology. He serves on the Industrial Advisory Board of the Manipulation, Automation and Robotics Small Scale organization (MARSS), where he is also a member of the Steering Committee. He currently serves on the board of ArtImus Inc, a Boulder based technology company. Ron continues to consult on dielectric elastomers research and development projects around the world; in 2023, a team he headed was awarded a Department of Energy prize for innovative research in distributed embedded energy. He is also part of the FLOAT project team, using levitated microfactory technology to develop a railway transport system on the moon.

Ron has numerous research papers; he holds more than 115 patents issued in the fields of electroactive polymer actuators and generators, microdevices, magnetics, robotics, sensors, displays, and signal processing, with additional patents pending. His work led to the spin off 2 companies, AMI and GrabBit, as well as a product designed for I-pods and sold in Apple stores. Ron has a B.S. in physics from MIT, an M.S. in physics from the University of Washington, and a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas.

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INVENTIONS BY RON PELRINE PATENT #         DESCRIPTION

11835711

Pointing apparatuses and methods involving magnetic-contrast bearings

11271308

Diamagnetic mechanically based antenna

8,593,016

Levitated micro-manipulator system

8,861,171

Electroadhesive handling and manipulation

9,647,523

Levitated-micro manipulator system

10,044,253

Levitated-micro manipulator system

8,941,270

Manufacturing using levitated manipulator robots

10,861,627

Microrobot and Microrobot train self assembly with end-effectors

10,754,059

Compact and highly sensitive gravity gradiometer

10,232,383

Handling and sorting materials using electroadhesion

10,044,253

Levitated-micro manipulator system

9,647,523

Levitated-micro manipulator system

9,486,814

Handling and sorting materials using electroadhesion

9,401,668

Materials for electroadhesion and electrolaminates

9,358,590

Electroadhesive surface cleaner

9,302,299

Active electroadhesive cleaning

9,186,709

Active electroadhesive cleaning

9,130,485

Conformable electroadhesive gripping system

9,130,484

Vacuum augmented electroadhesive device

9,093,926

Electroadhesive conveying surfaces

RE45,464

Electroactive polymer animated devices

8,982,531

Additional force augmented electroadhesion

8,981,621

Electroactive polymer manufacturing

8,975,888

Miniature high-voltage power supplies

8,941,270

Manufacturing using levitated manipulator robots

8,861,171

Electroadhesive handling and manipulation

8,686,602

Levitated micro-manipulator system

8,665,578

Electroadhesive devices

8,593,016

Levitated micro-manipulator system

8,564,926

Electroadhesive gripping

8,508,109

Electroactive polymer manufacturing

8,436,508

Mechanical meta-materials

8,325,458

Electroadhesive gripping

8,316,526

Method for forming an electroactive polymer

8,164,232

Mechanical meta-materials

8,125,758

Electroadhesive devices

8,111,500

Wall crawling robots

8,058,861

Miniature high-voltage power supplies

7,977,923

Circuits for electroactive polymer generators

7,971,850

Electroactive polymer devices for controlling fluid flow

7,923,064

Electroactive polymer manufacturing

7,921,541

Method for forming an electroactive polymer transducer

7,911,115

Monolithic electroactive polymers

7,898,159

Compliant electroactive polymer transducers for sonic applications

7,895,985

Compliant walled combustion devices

7,872,850

Wall crawling robots

7,804,227

Tear resistant electroactive polymer transducers

7,787,646

Surface deformation electroactive polymer transducers

7,785,656

Electroactive polymer pre-strain

7,773,363

Electroadhesion

7,737,685

Compositions for a magnetically hard layer on a piston rod

7,705,521

Electroactive polymer torsional device

7,703,742

Electroactive polymer devices for controlling fluid flow

7,649,276

Wave powered generation

7,608,989

Compliant electroactive polymer transducers for sonic applications

7,598,652

Mechanical meta-materials

7,598,651

Mechanical meta-materials

7,567,681

Surface deformation electroactive polymer transducers

7,557,456

Wave powered generation using electroactive polymers

7,554,787

Wall crawling devices

7,551,419

Electroadhesion

7,538,445

Wave powered generation

7,537,197

Electroactive polymer devices for controlling fluid flow

7,485,978

Compliant walled combustion devices for producing mechanical and electrical energy

7,468,575

Electroactive polymer electrodes

7,456,549

Electroactive polymer motors

7,436,099

Electroactive polymer pre-strain

7,411,332

Electroactive polymer animated devices

7,394,182

Electroactive polymer devices for moving fluid

7,378,783

Electroactive polymer torsional device

7,368,862

Electroactive polymer generators

7,362,032

Electroactive polymer devices for moving fluid

7,329,392

Device and method for handling reaction components

7,320,457

Electroactive polymer devices for controlling fluid flow

7,307,418

Systems for recording position information in a magnetic layer on a piston rod

7,259,503

Electroactive polymers

7,240,655

Compliant walled combustion devices II

7,237,524

Compliant walled combustion devices

7,224,106

Electroactive polymers

7,211,937

Electroactive polymer animated devices

7,199,501

Electroactive polymers

7,166,953

Electroactive polymer rotary clutch motors

7,064,472

Electroactive polymer devices for moving fluid

7,062,055

Elastomeric dielectric polymer film sonic actuator

7,052,594

Devices and methods for controlling fluid flow using elastic sheet deflection

7,049,732

Electroactive polymers

7,034,527

Systems of recording piston rod position information in a magnetic layer on a piston rod

7,034,432

Electroactive polymer generators

6,989,669

Systems and methods of recording piston rod position information in a magnetic layer on a piston rod

6,940,211

Electroactive polymers transducers and actuators

6,911,764

Energy efficient electroactive polymers and electroactive polymer devices

6,891,317

Rolled electroactive polymers

6,882,086

Variable stiffness electroactive polymer systems

6,876,135

Master/slave electroactive polymer systems

6,858,184

Microlaboratory devices and methods

6,812,624

Electroactive polymers

6,809,462

Electroactive polymer sensors

6,806,621

Electroactive polymer rotary motors

6,781,284

Electroactive polymer transducers and actuators

6,768,246

Biologically powered electroactive polymer generators

6,707,236

Non-contact electroactive polymer electrodes

6,664,718

Monolithic electroactive polymers

6,628,040

Electroactive polymer thermal electric generators

6,586,859

Electroactive polymer animated devices

6,583,533

Electroactive polymer electrodes

6,545,384

Electroactive polymer devices

6,543,110

Electroactive polymer fabrication

6,483,222

Frictionless transport apparatus and method

6,376,971

Electroactive polymer electrodes

6,361,268

Frictionless transport apparatus and method

6,343,129

Elastomeric dielectric polymer film sonic actuator

5,925,972

Multiple element particle sensor and signal processing electronics

5,848,655

Oscillating mass-based tool with dual stiffness spring

5,825,119

Sensor element and particle sensor

5,774,257

Display element and display apparatus

5,698,931

Sensor element and particle sensor

5,636,072

Display element and display apparatus

5,396,136

Magnetic field levitation

5,392,715

In-pipe running robot and method of running the robot

5,388,528

Vehicle for use in pipes

5,355,807

Vehicle adapted to freely travel three-dimensionally by magnetic force and wheel for the vehicle

5,284,096

Vehicle for use in pipes

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PUBLICATIONS BY RON PELRINE (Includes sole author, first author, and co‑author)

1“Advances in Circuit-Driven Milli-Robot Systems”, R. Pelrine and A. Hsu, (MARSS 2024) Delft
2“Magnetic Milli-Robot Swarm Platform: A Safety Barrier Certificate Enabled, Low-Cost Test Bed.” Allen Hsu, Huihua Zhao, Martin Gaudreault, Annjoe Wong-Foy, Ron Pelrine: IEEE Robotics Autom. Lett. 5(2): 2913-2920 (2020)
3Y. Shi, et al., “A processable, high-performance dielectric elastomer and multilayering process”, SCIENCE, 7 Jul 2022, Vol 377, Issue 6602, pp. 228-232, DOI: 10.1126/science. Abn 0099
4“Application of micro-robots for building carbon fiber trusses,” in 2016 International Conference on Manipulation, Automation and Robotics at Small Scales (MARSS), 2016, pp. 1–6. Proceedings on IEEExplore ISBN no. 978-1-5090-1510-8,
5“Self-assembly of milli-scale robotic manipulators: a path to highly adaptive, robust automation systems,” in Proceedings of the 2016 International Conference on Manipulation, Automation and Robotics at Small Scales (MARSS), IEEExplore ISBN no. 978-1-5090-1510-8
6“Optimal Control of Diamagnetically Levitated Milli Robots Using Automated Search Pattern”, accepted for the Proceedings of the International Conference on Manipulation, Automation, and Robotics at Small Scales (MARSS), Paris (2016).
7“Diamagnetically levitated robots: An approach to massively parallel robotic systems with unusual motion properties”, in Proceedings IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 739-744 (2012)
8Electromechanically Active Polymers – A concise Reference, F. Carpi primary editor, Springer, 1st edition 2016 edition, DOI:10.1007/978-3-319-31530-0 R. Pelrine, “Dielectric Elastomers as Electroactive Polymers (EAPs): Fundamentals”, p.671-686
9

Robotic Systems and Autonomous Platforms, S. Walsh and M. Strano editors, Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, MA 2019

R. Pelrine, Chapter 19 “Super materials and Robots making Robots: Challenges and Opportunities in Robotic Building at the  Microstructural Level”, p. 477 -491

10Co-Editor (F. Carpi primary editor), Dielectric Elastomers as Electromechanical Transducers, Elsevier, Amsterdam 2008 (authored or co-authored 7 chapters in this book
11“Electro adhesive Robots—Wall Climbing Robots Enabled by a Novel, Robust, and Electrically Controllable Adhesion Technology”, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Pasadena, CA, USA, May 19-23, 2008
12“Innovative Power Generation for Energy Harvesting Using Electroactive Polymer Artificial Muscles,” Proc., SPIE, San Diego, March 10-13, 2008
13Co-editor, Dielectric Elastomers as Electromechanical Transducers, Elsevier, Oxford, UK (2008) (also authored or co-authored 4 chapters in this book)
14“Programmable Surface Deformation: Thickness-mode Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Their Applications,” Smart Structures and Materials 2005: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD), San Diego, CA. Ed. Yoseph Bar-Cohen, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 5759, March (2005), pp. 102–113.
15“Programmable Surface Deformation: Thickness-mode Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Their Applications,” Smart Structures and Materials 2005: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD), San Diego, CA. Ed. Yoseph Bar-Cohen, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 5759, March (2005), pp. 102–113.
16“Rubber to rigid, clamped to undamped: toward composite materials with wide-range controllable stiffness and damping,” In: Proceedings of SPIE -- Volume 5388, Smart Structures and Materials 2004: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies. Eric H. Anderson, Editor, 2004, pp. 372-386.
17“Diamagnetic Levitation,” (Invited), American Scientist, Sep.-Oct. 2004, pp. 428-435.
18“Recent progress on electroelastomer artificial muscles and their application for biomimetic robots,” Proc. SPIE, Y. Bar-Cohen, ed. Vol. 5385, (2004)
19“Multifunctional Electroelastomer Actuators and Their Application for Biomimetic Walking Robots,” in Smart Structures and Materials 2003: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD), ed. Y. Bar-Cohen, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 5051, pp. 281–290 (2003).
20“3-D Multifunctional Electroelastomer Actuators and Their Application for Biomimetic Walking Robots,” Smart Structures and Materials 2002: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies, ed. A. McGowan, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 4698, (2002)
21Coauthor chapter in Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Artificial Muscles, (invited) ed. Y. Bar-Cohen, SPIE Press, Bellingham, Washington (2001)
22“High-Strain Actuator Materials Based on Dielectric Elastomers,”Advanced Materials 2000, Vol. 12, No. 16, pp. 1223–1225 (2000)
23“High-Speed Electrically Actuated Elastomers with Over 100% Strain,” Science,
Vol. 287, No. 5454, pp. 836–839 (2000)
24“Ultrahigh Strain Response of Field-Actuated Elastomeric Polymers,” (invited) Proc. SPIE, Smart Structures and Materials 2000: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD), Ed. Y. Bar-Cohen, Vol. 3987, pp. 51–64 (June 2000)
25“Acoustical Performance of an Electrostrictive Polymer Film Loudspeaker,”
J. Acoustical Society of America, Vol. 107, No. 2, pp. 833–839 (February 2000)
26“Ultra-high Strain Response of Elastomeric Polymer Dielectrics,” SRI International, Menlo Park, California; in Electroactive Polymers (EAPs), MRS Symposium Series, Vol. 600; presented at the 1999 MRS Fall Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts
27“High-Strain Actuator Materials Based on Dielectric Elastomers,” Advanced Materials 2000, Vol. 12, No. 16, pp. 1223–1225 (2000)
28“High-Field Electrostriction of Elastomeric Polymer Dielectrics for Actuation,” Proc. SPIE International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials: Electro-Active Polymer Actuators and Devices, pp. 149–161, Newport Beach, California (March 1999)
29“Design and Performance of an Electrostrictive-Polymer-Film Acoustic Actuator,” J. Sound and Vibration, Vol. 215, No. 2, pp. 297–311 (1998)
30“Electrostriction of Polymer Dielectrics with Compliant Electrodes as a Means of Actuation,” Sensors and Actuators A: Physical 64, pp. 74–85 (1998)
31“Electrostriction of Polymer Films for Microactuators,” The Tenth Annual International Workshop on Micro Electromechanical Systems, IEEE, Nagoya, Japan, pp. 238–243 (January 1997)
32“Artificial Muscle Actuator,” (invited) First International Micromachine Symposium, Tokyo, Japan, pp. 143–146 (November 1995)
33“Review of Artificial Muscle Approaches,” (invited), Third International Symposium on Micro Machine and Human Science, Nagoya, Japan (October 1992)
34“Room-Temperature, Open-Loop Levitation of Microdevices Using Diamagnetic Materials,” IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Workshop (MEMs-90), Napa, California (February 1990); also reprinted in Micromechanics and MEMS: Classic and Seminal Papers to 1990, ed. W. Trimmer, IEEE Press, New York, pp. 320–323 (1997).
35“Room-Temperature, Open-Loop Levitation of Microdevices Using Diamagnetic Materials,” IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Workshop (MEMs-90), Napa, California (February 1990); also reprinted in Micromechanics and MEMS: Classic and Seminal Papers to 1990, ed. W. Trimmer, IEEE Press, New York, pp. 320–323 (1997).
36“Magnetically Levitated MicroRobotics,” Ph.D. dissertation, University of Texas at Austin (January 1989)
37“Magnetically Levitated MicroRobots,” SRC-sponsored Techcon ’88 Conference, Dallas, Texas (1988)
38“Magnetically Levitated Micromachines,” Proc. IEEE Workshop on MicroRobots and Teleoperators, Hyannis, Massachusetts (1987)