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Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are a promising technology for soft robotics. The use of DEAs has many advantages, including light weight, resilience, and fast response for its applications, such as grippers, artificial muscles, and heel strike generators. Grippers are commonly used as grasping devices. In this study, we focus on DEA applications and propose a technology to expand the applicability of a soft gripper. The advantages of gripper-based DEAs include light weight, fast response, and low cost. We fabricated soft grippers using multiple DEA layers. The grippers successfully held or gripped an object, and we investigated the response time of the grippers and their angle characteristics. We studied the relationship between the number of DEA layers and the performance of our grippers. Our experimental results show that the multi-layered DEAs have the potential to be strong grippers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • DEA excitation technique is applied to a vibration experiment for apples. • Frequency responses of apples are obtained by DEA excitation and LDV measurement. • Mode shapes of apples are extracted due to an experimental modal analysis. • Firmness index is obtained by combining apple's resonance frequency and mass. • Effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by evaluating firmness index. A vibration experiment technique based on a dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) excitation for apples is proposed. The characteristics of DEAs such as flexibility, lightweight, large deformation, and a fast response are conducive to vibration applications. Moreover, DEAs composed of soft rubber-like materials should be compatible with diverse objects. They can be applied to structures with curved surfaces and transfer excitation forces effectively. Herein, as an agricultural application, a DEA excitation technique is applied to assess the quality of apples, which have a spherical shape, using quality-related indices. Firmness is a function of the fruit's mass and its second-lowest resonance frequency. To evaluate the frequency responses and firmness of apples, we developed a vibration experiment system and the appropriate DEA composition. Then, the vibration responses of apples were measured by laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) and evaluated by a spectrum analyzer to obtain the frequency responses. By assessing the firmness index of apples upon storing, we experimentally demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed measurement technique based on the DEA excitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]