Patent ID: 8159112

Claim:
A polymeric actuator controller comprising: a polymeric actuator that has a first electrode and a second electrode for applying electric energy to a polymeric portion and that displaces in accordance with applied electric energy; a potential difference reading unit that reads a potential difference that occurs between terminals of the first electrode and second electrode of the polymeric actuator and generates a difference signal; a polymeric actuator driver circuit that receives a parameter that indicates a target potential value and the difference signal, converts the parameter to the target potential value and applies the electric energy to the first electrode and second electrode of the polymeric actuator to drive the polymeric actuator in a continuously variable manner based on the target potential value and the difference value; and a control unit that supplies the polymeric actuator driver circuit with the parameter that indicates the target potential value and a command for driving the polymeric actuator, wherein, the polymeric actuator driver circuit and the potential difference reading unit form a closed loop, the control unit supplies the parameter and the command to the polymeric actuator from outside the closed loop, the polymeric actuator driver circuit varies the electric energy so that the potential difference read by the potential difference reading unit is maintained at the target potential value, the polymeric actuator driver circuit generates the electric energy that is applied to the first and second electrodes so as to vary the displacement of the polymeric actuator by changing the target potential difference in accordance with the command, the electric energy is applied as a rectangular wave signal, and the polymeric actuator drive circuit is configured to change a duty of the rectangular wave signal to control the displacement of the polymeric actuator.