A system for obtaining inline sensory feedback from an electroactive polymer
based
transducer for use in feedback control applications is disclosed. Specifically
a method of obtaining sensory feedback from an electroactive polymer based transducer
includes the steps of: receiving a user input in a control system, combining it
with a control system feedback signal from a sensory feedback circuitry and producing
a control signal; receiving the control signal in an amplifier and sensory tone
generator, combining it with an amplifier feedback signal from the sensory feedback
circuitry and producing a power signal; receiving the power signal and an environmental
disturbance in an electroactive polymer transducer and sensory circuitry and responsive
to the user input producing a sensory signal; receiving the sensory signal in the
sensory feedback circuitry and producing the control system feedback signal and
the amplifier feedback signal; and producing a data output in the control system.