Kim, Choong Sun Oh, Ock Kyun Choi, Hyeongdo Kim, Yong Jun Lee, Gyu Soup Kim, Hyun Jung Majidi, Carmel Kim, Seung-Won Cho, Byung Jin 2024-01-19T13:30:19Z 2024-01-19T13:30:19Z 2021-09-02 2021-12 2169-5172 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/116108 Dynamic stiffness tuning is a promising approach for shape reconfigurable systems that must adapt their flexibility in response to changing operational requirements. Among stiffness tuning technologies, phase change materials are particularly promising because they are size scalable and can be powered using portable electronics. However, the long transition time required for phase change is a great limitation for most applications. In this study, we address this by introducing a rapidly responsive variable rigidity module with a low melting point material and flexible thermoelectric device (f-TED). The f-TED can conduct bidirectional temperature control; thereby, both heating and cooling were accomplished in a single device. By performing local cooling, the phase transition time from liquid to solid is reduced by 77%. The module in its rigid state shows 14.7 x higher bending stiffness than in the soft state. The results can contribute to greatly widening the application of phase transition materials for variable rigidity. English MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC Variable Rigidity Module with a Flexible Thermoelectric Device for Bidirectional Temperature Control Article 10.1089/soro.2020.0080 1 SOFT ROBOTICS, v.8, no.6, pp.662 - 672 SOFT ROBOTICS 8 6 662 672 scie scopus 000586628900001 2-s2.0-85119051575 Robotics Robotics Article PERFORMANCE STIFFNESS COEFFICIENT PARAMETERS variable stiffness phase change materials thermoelectric cooler active temperature control