1A1-N-088 Development of a Miniature Robot Finger using Shape Memory Alloy(Robot Hand Mechanism and Grasping Strategy 1,Mega-Integration in Robotics and Mechatronics to Assist Our Daily Lives)

This article presents a soft crawling robot prototype with a simple architecture inspired by inchworms. The robot functionally integrates the torso (body) and feet in a monolithic curved structure that only needs a single shape memory alloy coil and differential friction to actuate it. A novel foot configuration is proposed, which makes the two feet, with an anti-symmetrical friction layout, can be alternately anchored, to match the contraction–recovery sequence of the body adaptively. Based on the antagonistic configuration between the shape memory alloy actuator and the elastic body, a vertically auxiliary spring was adopted to enhance the interaction mechanism. Force and kinematic analysis was undertaken, focusing on the parametric design of the special foot configuration. A miniature robot prototype was then 3D-printed (54 mm in length and 9.77 g in weight), using tailored thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer as the body material. A series of experimental tests and evaluations were carried out to assess its performance under different conditions. The results demonstrated that under appropriate actuation conditions, the compact robot prototype could accomplish a relative speed of 0.024 BL/s (with a stride length equivalent to 27% of its body length) and bear a load over five times to its own weight.

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Development of a Miniature Robot Finger with a Variable Stiffness Mechanism Using Shape Memory Alloy

The Proceedings of JSME annual Conference on Robotics and Mechatronics (Robomec) ◽

10.1299/jsmermd.2004.108_2 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 2004 (0) ◽

pp. 108 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

T Hino ◽

T Maeno

Keyword(s):

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Variable Stiffness ◽

Miniature Robot

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A novel robot hand with embedded shape memory alloy actuators

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part C Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science ◽

10.1243/09544060260128788 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 216 (7) ◽

pp. 737-745 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

K Yang ◽

C L Gu

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Control System ◽

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Outer Diameter ◽

Robot Hand ◽

Sma Actuators ◽

Constant Distance

This paper describes the development of an active robot hand, which allows smooth and lifelike motions for anthropomorphic grasping and fine manipulations. An active robot finger 10mm in outer diameter with a shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuator embedded in the finger with a constant distance from the geometric centre of the finger was designed and fabricated. The practical specifications of the SMA wire and the flexible rod were determined on the basis of a series of formulae. The active finger consists of two bending parts, the SMA actuators and a connecting part. The mechanical properties of the bending part are investigated. The control system on the base of resistance feedback is also presented. Finally, a robot hand with three fingers was designed and the grasping experiment was carried out to demonstrate its performance.

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Controller Design on the Fingerspelling Robot Hand using Shape Memory Alloy

2006 SICE-ICASE International Joint Conference ◽

10.1109/sice.2006.315168 ◽

2006 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Mina Terauchi ◽

Kouta Zenba ◽

Akira Shimada ◽

Masanori Fujita

Keyword(s):

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Controller Design ◽

Robot Hand

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Two-Fingered Haptic Device for Robot Hand Teleoperation

Journal of Robotics ◽

10.1155/2011/419465 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Futoshi Kobayashi ◽

George Ikai ◽

Wataru Fukui ◽

Fumio Kojima

Keyword(s):

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Force Feedback ◽

Haptic Feedback ◽

Reaction Force ◽

Feedback System ◽

Middle Finger ◽

Distal Segment ◽

Haptic Device ◽

Robot Hand

A haptic feedback system is required to assist telerehabilitation with robot hand. The system should provide the reaction force measured in the robot hand to an operator. In this paper, we have developed a force feedback device that presents a reaction force to the distal segment of the operator's thumb, middle finger, and basipodite of the middle finger when the robot hand grasps an object. The device uses a shape memory alloy as an actuator, which affords a very compact, lightweight, and accurate device.

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Developing an adaptable pipe inspection robot using shape memory alloy actuators

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures ◽

10.1177/1045389x19898255 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 632-647 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alireza Hadi ◽

Azadeh Hassani ◽

Khalil Alipour ◽

Reza Askari Moghadam ◽

Pouya Pourakbarian Niaz

Keyword(s):

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Shape Memory ◽

Laboratory Experiments ◽

Pipe Inspection ◽

Inspection Robot ◽

Modeling Simulation ◽

Simulation Results ◽

Simulation And Control ◽

And Control ◽

Miniature Robot

To detect and repair the faults existing in pipes and narrow ducts in the industry, access to the inside of these pipes is often required. In this article, the conceptual design for a miniature robot for inspecting the inner walls of pipes is presented, such that the proposed robot can operate adaptably and freely in vertical, inclined, and bent paths. The robot utilizes a simple mechanism based on shape memory alloy actuators for adjusting the contact force between the robot and the inner wall of the pipe. Use of shape memory alloys as actuators for the adaptive part will result in a smaller and lighter robot, further increasing its mobility in narrower ducts. Modeling, simulation, and control of the proposed system is conducted and simulation results are validated by performing practical laboratory experiments on a built prototype.

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