ABSTRACT
>Conducting polymer soft actuators have a novel method of functioning that causes them to act similarly to natural muscles. Since they are fabricated from thin films, they are both small and lightweight and can be driven by the much lower applied voltage. They also boast high response and have high levels of flexibility and durability, all of which are beneficial properties for an actuator. The author has developed various mechanical applications to advance those possibilities, using a conducting polymer soft actuator to provide the driving force in micropumps. Micropumps transport liquids slowly at microflow rates and are widely used in broader fields. Transdermal drug delivery systems have been attracting significant attention in recent years from antimicrobial and antiviral delivery viewpoints. In such systems, the micropump is essential for transporting fluids, which means that a high-pressure head and highly accurate flow rate control are required. The micropump proposed in this chapter fully meets these requirements, and it is strongly anticipated that it will be incorporated in such systems in the future.
