Actuation

Imagine motion generated not by external systems—but emerging directly from the material itself.

Aero materials enable electrically driven actuation by converting thermal energy into pressure changes within a porous structure—eliminating the need for compressors, pumps, or any pneumatic infrastructure.

The challenge

Conventional actuation systems—especially pneumatic and vacuum-based—rely on external infrastructure such as compressors, pumps, valves, and tubing. This leads to:

  • bulky and complex system architectures

  • high energy consumption and inefficiencies

  • incompatibility with compact, mobile or decentralized systems

  • maintenance requirements and potential failure points

As automation becomes more flexible and decentralized, there is a growing need for compact, efficient, and easily integrable actuation solutions.

How our aero materials help

Our carbon based aero material consist of a conductive, highly porous network that can be rapidly heated electrically. This enables a unique actuation principle:

  • Electrical input > thermal response
    The material heats up quickly due to its conductive structure

  • Thermal response > pressure change
    Air inside the porous network expands

  • Pressure change > actuation
    Directed outward, the pressure change creates a pulse of positive pressure, or, when sealed, creates vacuum upon cooling

Key advantages:

  • No external pneumatics required
    Actuation is generated locally within the material

  • Fast response times
    Due to low thermal mass and high surface area

  • Compact and modular design
    Enables integration directly into end-effectors or systems

  • Energy-efficient operation
    Pulse-driven actuation — no continuous power draw

  • Scalable architecture
    From single units to arrays of independently controlled actuators

This enables a new class of electrically driven pneumatic functionality—without pneumatic infrastructure.

Example applications

Vacuum grippers (EOAT)
Compressor-free gripping solutions for robotics and automation

Soft robotics and adaptive systems
Lightweight, distributed actuation elements

Micro-actuation systems
Precise control in compact or embedded environments

Portable and mobile automation
Systems where traditional pneumatics are impractical

Building systems that require compact, efficient, and infrastructure-free actuation?

Get in touch

Relevant Academic Research & Publications

Aero material can be Joule-heated to several hundred degrees within milliseconds, causing the air trapped inside its porous structure to expand rapidly. This creates a controllable pressure pulse or airflow — without any moving parts, compressor, or external air supply.

Electrically powered repeatable air explosions using microtubular graphene assemblies Schütt, Rasch et al. — Materials Today, 2021 The paper that established the core actuation principle: rapid, repeatable, electrically triggered pressure generation using aeromaterial as the transducer. Demonstrated actuators with output power densities exceeding 40 kW/kg, along with pumps, gas flowmeters, and thermophones. Read the publication

Graphene-based thermopneumatic generator for on-board pressure supply of soft robots Reimers et al. — Soft Robotics, 2025 Shows how the same principle can power soft robotic grippers autonomously — without any external compressor or pneumatic infrastructure. A single compact module can pressurize a 4.2 cm³ reservoir to ~140 mbar in 50 milliseconds. Read the publication

Underwater thermoacoustic generation by a hierarchical tetrapodal carbon nanotube network Liu et al. — ACS Nano, 2024 Extends the thermoacoustic effect to underwater environments. A 3D carbon nanotube network derived from the same material family generates stable broadband sound from 100 Hz to 10 kHz — a step toward compressor-free speakers, sonar devices, and acoustic actuators. Read the publication