A low-cost highly-portable tactile display based on shape memory alloy micro-actuators

Based on experimental results reported in the reference, Liang-Rogers’ constitutive model for SMA is used to simulate the stress-strain curves of NiTi shape memory alloy films under uniaxial tension with isothermal conditions. The effects of film compositions and temperature on the tensile behavior of NiTi shape memory alloy films are discussed. By comparing the simulation results with the experimental results, it is found that the simulation curves agree basically with the experimental curves except that the phase-transformation regions are wider in the simulation curves. This demonstrates that the Liang-Rogers’ model can be used to predict the thermomechanical behavior of shape memory alloy films roughly. This study provides some theoretical foundation for the quantitative description and prediction of the actuation mechanism when shape memory alloy films are used as micro-actuators.

Download Full-text

Tactile display using shape memory alloy micro-coil actuator and magnetic latch mechanism

Displays ◽

10.1016/j.displa.2013.03.001 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 89-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

T. Matsunaga ◽

K. Totsu ◽

M. Esashi ◽

Y. Haga

Keyword(s):

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Tactile Display

Download Full-text

“Monolithic Shape Memory Alloy Actuators”: A New Concept for Developing Smart Micro-Devices

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-604-177 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 604 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Y. Bellouard ◽

T. Lehnert ◽

T. Sidler ◽

R. Gotrhardt ◽

R. Clavel

Keyword(s):

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Mechanical System ◽

Design Strategy ◽

Special Design ◽

Friction Forces ◽

Scale Down ◽

Micro Actuators ◽

Scaling Down ◽

Micro Systems

AbstractIn micro-robotics and for micro-systems, one cannot simply scale down conventional actuators. Specific difficulties like friction forces between parts and the assembly have to be considered carefully and need a special design strategy adapted to this “micro-world”. Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) have strong potential in micro actuators. So far, most of SMA devices used the SMA material as a part of a mechanical system, which raised several problems when scaling down. In this paper, a concept of monolithic SMA micro-devices, which consists in considering the SMA as a mechanical system by itself, is presented. Several applications are shown to illustrate this concept.

Download Full-text

Shape Memory Alloy: Low-Cost Manufacturing for the Oil and Gas Industry

10.4043/24257-ms ◽

2013 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Peter Lewis ◽

Myrone Vasquez

Keyword(s):

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

Low Cost ◽

Oil And Gas Industry ◽

Gas Industry ◽

Low Cost Manufacturing

Download Full-text

Residual stress-loaded titanium$ndash$nickel shape-memory alloy thin-film micro-actuators

Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering ◽

10.1088/0960-1317/12/3/319 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 323-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Rong Xin Wang ◽

Yitshak Zohar ◽

Man Wong

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Residual Stress ◽

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Alloy Thin Film ◽

Micro Actuators

Download Full-text

Application of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) Based Actuation for Refreshable Display of Braille

Volume 4: 18th Design for Manufacturing and the Life Cycle Conference; 2013 ASME/IEEE International Conference on Mechatronic and Embedded Systems and Applications ◽

10.1115/detc2013-13159 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Anshul Singhal ◽

Pranay Jain ◽

Piyush Chanana ◽

Dhruv Jain ◽

Rohan Paul ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Speech Synthesis ◽

Low Cost ◽

Synthetic Speech ◽

Piezoelectric Actuation ◽

Tactile Displays ◽

Braille Character ◽

Braille Display

Persons with blindness access computers with the help of refreshable Braille displays and speech synthesis softwares. Braille has distinguished advantages over synthetic speech, especially because of its important role in uplifting education, employment and income. However, commercially available Braille displays are typically priced in the range of 2500–4000 USD (65–100 USD per Braille character) and are thus inaccessible to users in both developed and developing countries. Development of affordable Braille displays is thus a critical need. Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) based actuation is a potential low-cost alternative to currently employed piezoelectric actuation, and is being used here to develop an affordable Braille display. This paper discusses key challenges identified in SMA based actuation and proposes methods to overcome the same. Prior attempts at developing tactile displays employing SMA based actuation are reviewed and important considerations for the present study are drawn. The configuration and the design of the actuator are thus arrived at. This paper further discusses the performance of fabricated prototypes and the feedback received from limited user trials. It concludes with a discussion on future scope of the work.

Download Full-text