• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.957-962
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• 2007

This paper describes a new mechanism for improving the force of actuators based on shape memory alloys (SMA) by increasing the number at which a coil pattern SMA spring can evenly be heated. This structure accomplishes a high efficient transformation between force and displacement overcoming the main mechanical drawback of shape memory alloys, that being the limit strain. A pantograph manipulator actuated by the introduced new mechanism has been designed for this research. Mechanical structure and driving mechanism of this manipulator are described in detail, and its control algorithm and current amplifier circuit in a position control system are designed.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.663-682
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• 2016

Continuum manipulators as a kind of mechanical arms are useful tools in special robotic applications. In medical applications, like colonoscopy, a maneuverable thin and flexible manipulator is required. This research is focused on developing a basic module for such an application using shape memory alloys (SMA). In the structure of the module three wires of SMA are uniformly distributed and attached to the circumference of a flexible tube. By activating wires, individually or together, different rotation regimes are provided. SMA model is used based on Brinson work. The SMA model is combined to model of flexible tube to provide a composite model of the module. Simulating the model in Matlab provided a platform to be used to develop controller. Complex and nonlinear behavior of SMA make the control problem hard especially when a few SMA actuators are active simultaneously. In this paper, position control of the two degree of freedom module is under focus. An experimental control strategy is developed to regulate a desired position in the module. The simulation results present a reasonable performance of the controller. Moreover, the results are verified through experiments and show that the continuum module of this paper would be used in real modular manipulators.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.2913-2921
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• 1994

In SMA(shape memory alloy), the degradation by fatigue is one of the most important problems to be overcome, when SMA is used for robot-actuator material. The actuator is operated repeatitively for long time and its repeating operation develops the fatigue degradation of SMA. The fatigue degradation changes the transformation temperature and deformation behavior and results in inaccurate operation control of robot. Accordingly, the changing behavior of transformation temperature and deformation which results from repeating operation is to be investigated in advance and the scheme to resolve those problems have to be made for the design of actuator. In this study, the fatigue tests were carried out on SMA specimens prepared to have different condition of aging time and pre-strain with the direct-current heating-cooling method, which was a general method of operation in robot actuators. The behavior of transformation temperature and deformation were examined and analyzed in each specimen and the study was performed to establish the optimistic manufacturing condition of SMA against the fatigue degradation.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.16 no.2 s.95
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• pp.15-22
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• 1999

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators in controlling the motion of micro active catheter. The dynamic behavior of SMA is obtained by several experiments for the design of the controller. With the control parameters obtained in experiments, temperature feedback control algorithm is proposed and realized. The prototype of micro active catheter is fabricated, and its control performance which uses the designed controller is investigated. The results obtained show the potential of the SMA as viable means for actuating the micro active catheter.

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

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.28-33
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• 2014

Recently, the actuator worked by the driving recovery-force of the thermo elastic martensitic transformation of shape memory alloys(SMA) has been studied. This paper presents a study on the fatigue life of shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators undergoing thermally induced martensitic phase transformation under various stress levels. shape memory recoverable stress and strain of Ti-44.5at.%Ni-8at.%Cu alloys were by means of constant temperature tensile tests. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was employed in order to investigate the transformation characteristics of the alloy before the tests. the results were summarized as follows. The martensite inducing stress incerased with the increasing of the Cu-contents. The fatigue life decreased with the increasing of the test load and the Cu-content. The data acquired will be very useful during the design process of an SMA NiTiCu element as a functional part of an actuator.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.310-313
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• 2005

In recent years, as the robot technology is developed, the researches on the artificial muscle actuator that enable robot to move dexterously like biological organ become active. The widely used materials for artificial muscle are the shape memory alloy and the electro-active polymer. These actuators have the higher energy density than the electro-mechanical actuator such as motor. However, there are some drawbacks for actuator. SMA has the hysterical dynamic characteristics. In this paper, the simulation of anthropomophic robotic hand is performed using ADAMS and the segmented binary control for reducing the hysteresis of SMA is proposed. SMA is controlled by thermo-electric module. The relations between the force and the hysteresis are developed to verify the validity of the suggested method.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.54-61
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• 1996

Because of its high energy density, the use of shape memory alloys(SMA) in designing microactuatiors is gaining much attention in recent years. Shape memory alloys can undergo a shape change at a low temperature with a small applied deformation force, and retain this deformation until they are heated, at which point they return to the original shape. This is called the shape memory effect(SME), and a plethora of alloys show this effect. Among them, TiNi-based alloys have relatively high electrical resistivity, which to develope helical-shape memory springs. These springs are used to develop fast protatonist/antagonist configuration actuators. The developed actuator has an actuation speed of 1 mm per 15 .approx. 20 ms and a minimum operating period of 2 sec.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.39-52
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• 2011

We are developing a biomimetic robot based on the Sea Lamprey. The robot consists of a cylindrical electronics bay propelled by an undulatory body axis. Shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators generate propagating flexion waves in five undulatory segments of a polyurethane strip. The behavior of the robot is controlled by an electronic nervous system (ENS) composed of networks of discrete-time map-based neurons and synapses that execute on a digital signal processing chip. Motor neuron action potentials gate power transistors that apply current to the SMA actuators. The ENS consists of a set of segmental central pattern generators (CPGs), modulated by layered command and coordinating neuron networks, that integrate input from exteroceptive sensors including a compass, accelerometers, inclinometers and a short baseline sonar array (SBA). The CPGs instantiate the 3-element hemi-segmental network model established from physiological studies. Anterior and posterior propagating pathways between CPGs mediate intersegmental coordination to generate flexion waves for forward and backward swimming. The command network mediates layered exteroceptive reflexes for homing, primary orientation, and impediment compensation. The SBA allows homing on a sonar beacon by indicating deviations in azimuth and inclination. Inclinometers actuate a bending segment between the hull and undulator to allow climb and dive. Accelerometers can distinguish collisions from impediment to allow compensatory reflexes. Modulatory commands mediate speed control and turning. A SBA communications interface is being developed to allow supervised reactive autonomy.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.26-36
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• 2001

Smart sensors and actuators have recently been developed. In this study, first, small-diameter fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors developed by the author, whose cladding and polyimide coating diameters were 40 and $52{\mu}m$, respectively, were embedded inside a laminate without resin-rich regions around sensors and the deterioration of mechanical properties of the composite laminate. The small-diameter FBG sensor was embedded in $0^{\circ}$ ply of a CFRP laminate for the detection of transverse cracks in $90^{\circ}$ ply of the laminate. The reflection spectra from the FBG sensor were measured at various tensile stresses. The spectrum became broad and had some peaks with an increase of the transverse crack density. Furthermore, the theoretical calculation reproduced the change in the spectrum very well. These results show that the small-diameter FBG sensors have a potential to detect the occurrence of transverse cracks through the change in the form of the spectrum, and to evaluate the transverse crack density quantitatively by the spectrum width. On the other hand, shape memory alloy (SMA) films were used to suppress the initiation and growth of transverse cracks in CFRP laminates. Pre-strained SMA films were embedded between laminas in CFRP laminates and then heated to introduce the recovery stress in SMA films and compressive stresses in the weakest plies ($90^{\circ}$ ply). The effects of recovery stresses are demonstrated in the experiments and well predicted using the shear-lag analysis and the nonlinear constitutive equation of SMA films.