• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.69-75
• /
• 2012

This paper proposes a biomimetic finger module to be used in a lightweight hand prosthesis. The finger module consists of finger skeleton and an actuator module driven by SMA (Shape Memory Alloy). The prototype finger module can perform flexion and extension motions; finger flexion is driven by a contraction force of SMA, but it is extended by an elastic force of an extension spring inserted into the finger skeleton. The finger motions are controlled by feedback of electric resistance of SMA because the finger module has no sensors to measure length and angle. Total weight of a prototype finger module is 30g. In experiments the finger motions and finger grip force are tested and compared with simulation results when a constant contraction force of SMA is given. The experimental results show that the proposed SMA-driven finger module is feasible to the lightweight hand prosthesis.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.14-20
• /
• 2006

In recent year, as the robot technology is developed, the researches on the artificial muscle actuator that enables robot to move dexterously like biological organ become active. Actuators are key technologies underpinning robotics. Breakthroughs in actuator technology, particular in terms of power-to-weight ratio, or energy-density, will have significant impacts upon the design and control of robotic system. In this paper, a new approach to design and control of shape memory alloy(SMA) actuator is presented to drive the robot hand. SMA wire is divided into many segments and their thermal states of the SMA are controlled individually in a binary manner. This control manner will reduce the hysteresis that the SMA material has and it becomes the fundamental technology to develop the anthropomorphic robot hand. In this paper, the mechanism In the digital step motor of the shape memory alloy that is driven by the segmented binary control, which is a new control technique, is studied. This SMA digital step actuator applies for the robot hand and the driving mechanism of the robot hand is investigated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.51-57
• /
• 2011

The lightweight and compact actuator with high power is required to perform motion with multiple degrees of freedom. To reduce the size and inertia of a robot manipulator, the mechanical transmission system is used. The shape memory alloy(SMA) is similar to the muscle-tendon-bone network of a human hand. However, there are some drawback and nonlinearity, such as the hysteresis and the stress dependence. In this paper, the design of the underactuated robot hand is studied. The 3-finger dexterous hand is driven by the SMA actuator using segmental mechanism. This digital approach enables to overcome the nonlinearity of SMA wire. The translational displacement of SMA actuator required to bend a phalanx of the underactuated robot hand is estimated and the bending angle of the underactuated robot hand according to input displacement of SMA actuator is predicted by the multi-body dynamic analysis.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.563-574
• /
• 2006

This paper studies mechanical behavior of the superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) rods in terms of local deformations and time via tensile loading-unloading cycles for both ends fixed end constraints. Besides the unique stress induced martensitic transformation (SIMT), SMA's time dependent behavior when it is in mixed-phase condition upon loading and unloading, also need careful attention with a view of investigating the local deformation of the structural elements made of the same material. With this perspective, the so-called stress-relaxation tests have been performed to demonstrate and investigate the local strains-total strains relationships with time, particularly, during the forward SIMT. Some remarkable phenomena have been observed pertaining to SIMT, which are absent in traditional materials and those unique phenomena have been explained qualitatively. For example, at the stopped loading conditions the two ends (fixed end and moving end of the tensile testing machine) were in fixed positions. So that there was no axial overall deformation of the specimen but some notable increase in the axial local deformation was shown by the extensometer placed at the middle of the SMA specimen. It should be noted that this peculiar behavior termed as 'inertia driven SIMT' occurs only when the loading was stopped at mixed phase condition. Besides this relaxation test for the SMA specimens, the same is performed for the mild steel (MS) specimens under similar test conditions. The MS specimens, however, show no unusual increase of local strains during the stress relaxation tests.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.643-658
• /
• 2014

This paper presents the design, modelling and, simulation and experimental results of a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator based critical motion control application. Dynamic performance of SMA and its ability in replacing servo motor is studied for which the famous open loop unstable balancing ball and beam system direct driven by antagonistic SMA is designed and developed. Simulation uses the mathematical model of ball and beam structure derived from the first principles and model estimated for the SMA actuator by system identification. A PID based cascade control system consisting of two loops is designed and control of ball trajectory for various target positions with settling time as control parameter is verified experimentally. The results demonstrate the performance of SMA for a complicated i.e., under actuated, highly nonlinear unstable system, and thereby it's dynamic behaviour. Control strategies bring out the effectiveness of the actuator and its possible application to much more complex applications such as in aerospace control and robotics.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.319-327
• /
• 2019

Continuous rotating SMA actuators require motion conversion mechanisms, so their structure is relatively complex and difficult to realize the miniaturization. Here, a new type of continuous rotating actuator driven by SMA is proposed. It combines the movable tooth drive with SMA drive. The structure and working principle of the integrated movable tooth drive system is introduced. The equations of temperature, stress and strain of memory alloy wires, and the output torque of drive system are given. Using these equations, the temperature, the output forces of the SMA wires, and output torque of the drive system are studied. Results show that the compact drive system could give large output torque. To obtain large output torque plus small fluctuation, large eccentricity and small diameter of the SMA wire should be taken. Combined application of ventilation cooling and high current can increase the rotary speed of the drive system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2006.05a
• /
• pp.439-440
• /
• 2006

This research proposes a novel method of shape display to present 3-dimensional objects. Shape displays allow us to feel the actual volume of the object, unlike conventional 2D visual displays of 3D objects. The proposed method employs a wire frame structure to present 3D objects. The wire frame is composed of small units driven by shape memory alloy(SMA) actuators. The drive unit is analogous to the agonist-antagonist system of animal musculoskeletal systems, where the SMA actuators serve as agonist and antagonist muscles. The force in the SMA actuator is controlled by electrical current. The drive unit is equipped with the locking mechanism so that it can sustain the external force exerted by the user as well as the own weight of the wire frame structure. By controlling the current into the SMA actuator and locking mechanism, we call control the angle of the drive unit. A chain of drive units enables presentation of 2 dimensional objects. 3 dimensional presentations are possible by collecting the chains of drive units.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.82-88
• /
• 2008

This paper proposes a novel method of 2 dimensional shape display. Shape displays allow us to feel tile actual volume of the object, unlike conventional 2D visual displays of 3D objects. The proposed method employs a wireframe structure to present 2D or 3D objects. The wireframe is composed of small units driven by shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators. The drive unit is analogous to the agonist-antagonist system of animal musculoskeletal systems, where the SMA actuators serve as agonist and antagonist muscles. The force in the SMA actuator is controlled by electrical current. The drive unit is equipped with the locking mechanism so that it can sustain the external force exerted by the user as well as the own weight of the wireframe structure. By controlling the current into the SMA actuator and locking mechanism, we can control the angle of the drive unit. A chain of drive units enables presentation of 2 dimensional objects. 3 dimensional presentations are possible by collecting the chains of drive units.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.11-17
• /
• 2010

In this paper we make an flap actuator by using shape memory effects of SMA spring. We studied that the force and stroke what we need to design and the flap mechanism. The force and stroke was estimated through the analysis program which like a catia, matlab etc. We could design and make flap actuator. So The actuator which used SMA spring can apply to small aircraft.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.641-648
• /
• 2019

The authors investigate the feasibility of applying a vision-based displacement-measurement technique in the characterization of a SMA damper recently introduced in the literature. The experimental campaign tests a steel frame on a uni-axial shaking table driven by sinusoidal signals in the frequency range from 1Hz to 5Hz. Three different cameras are used to collect the images, namely an industrial camera and two commercial smartphones. The achieved results are compared. The camera showing the better performance is then used to test the same frame after its base isolation. U-shaped, shape-memory-alloy (SMA) elements are installed as dampers at the isolation level. The accelerations of the shaking table and those of the frame basement are measured by accelerometers. A system of markers is glued on these system components, as well as along the U-shaped elements serving as dampers. The different phases of the test are discussed, in the attempt to obtain as much possible information on the behavior of the SMA elements. Several tests were carried out until the thinner U-shaped element went to failure.