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Toyoda Gosei Concludes Exclusive Licensing Agreement for the Chief "Supramolecule" Material in "e-Rubber" Being Developed for Dielectric Actuators and Dielectric SensorsToyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. and Advanced Softmaterials (ASM (News - Alert)) Ltd.*1 (Chiba Prefecture, Japan) have concluded an exclusive licensing agreement for the use and sales of "Slide-Ring Material,"*2 a key material in e-Rubber.*3 The agreement is limited to applications of the material in dielectric actuators and dielectric sensors. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170517006490/en/ Promising fields of use (Graphic: Business Wire) Research and development on Dielectric actuators began in the USA during the 1990s. They are characterized by softness, light weight, high output and low energy consumption. A great deal of research work has been done so far worldwide for a very broad range of applications such as "artificial muscles for robotics" and other uses as a next-generation source of motive power to replace electromagnetic motors. Dielectric sensors are also promising for use as tactile/pressure sensors and motion sensors that take advantage of this softness. As with actuators, however, there were issues caused by the basic physical and chemical properties of materials (internal friction, durability, etc.). Toyoda Gosei, using Slide-Ring Material with its supramolecular structure and material design technology cultivated in the development of automotive parts as a specialist in the field of polymers, has achieved performance that overcomes these issues and reached the stage of developing practical applications in various fields.*4 With this exclusive licensing agreement, Toyoda Gosei and ASM will work more closely together to accelerate the development of e-Rubber for practical uses in smart devices to be employed in various kinds of next-generation robots that will support aging societies with falling birth rates, industrial equipment, automobiles and IoT.*5
About Toyoda Gosei Established in 1949 and headquartered in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Toyoda Gosei is a leading specialty manufacturer of rubber and plastic automotive parts and LEDs. Today, the Toyoda Gosei Group provides a variety of high-quality products internationally, with a network of approximately 100 plants and offices in 18 countries and regions. Through its flexible, integrated global supply system and leading-edge technologies for automotive safety, comfort, and environmental preservation, Toyoda Gosei is a global supplier that aims to deliver the highest levels of quality, innovation, and satisfaction to customers worldwide. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170517006490/en/ |