• Composites Research
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.52-57
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• 2015

Soft morphing robotics making use of smart material and based on biomimetic principles are capable of continuous locomotion in harmony with its environment. Since these robots do not use traditional mechanical components, they can be built to be light weight and capable of a diverse range of locomotion. This paper illustrates a flexible smart phone robot made of smart soft composite (SSC) with inchworm-like locomotion capable of two-way linear motion. Since rigid components are embedded within the robot, bending actuators with embedded rigid segments were investigated in order to obtain the maximum bending curvature. To verify the results, a simple mechanical model of this actuator was built and compared with experimental data. After that, the flexible robot was implemented as part of a smart phone robot where the rigid components of the phone were embedded within the matrix. Then, experiments were conducted to test the smart phone robot actuation force under different deflections to verify its load carrying capability. After that, the communication between the smart phone and robot controller was implemented and a corresponding phone application was developed. The locomotion of the smart phone robot actuated through an independent controller was also tested.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.77-83
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• 2016

Intricate deflection requires many conventional actuators (motors, pistons etc.), which can be financially and spatially wasteful. Novel smart soft composite (SSC) actuators have been suggested, but fabrication complexity restricts their widespread use as general-purpose actuators. In this study, a hybrid manufacturing process comprising 3-D printing and casting was developed for automated fabrication of SSC actuators with $200{\mu}m$ precision, using a 3-D printer (3DISON, ROKIT), a simple polymer mixer, and a compressor controller. A method to improve precision is suggested, and the design compensates for deposition and backlash errors (maximum, $170{\mu}m$). A suitable flow rate and tool path are suggested for the polymer casting process. The equipment and process costs proposed here are lower than those of existing 3D printers for a multi-material deposition system and the technique has $200{\mu}m$ precision, which is suitable for fabrication of SSC actuators.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정밀공학회 2013년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.885-886
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• 2013

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.39-46
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• 2013

Smart material such as SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) has been studied in various ways because it can perform continuous, flexible, and complex actuation in simple structure. Smart soft composite (SSC) was developed to achieve large deformation of smart material. In this paper, a shell actuator using woven type SSC was developed to enhance stiffness of the structure while keeping its deformation capacity. The fabricated actuator consisted of a flexible polymer and woven structure which contains SMA wires and glass fibers. The actuator showed various actuation motions by controlling a pattern of applied electricity because the SMA wires are embedded in the structure as fibers. To verify the actuation ability, we measured its maximum end-edge bending angle, twisting angle, and actuating force, which were $103^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$, and 0.15 N, respectively.