부산대학교 도서관

Smart material alloys are researched and used in various applications due to their superelastic, mechanical properties, and shape memory effects. The smart material used in this project is a Nickel-Titanium (Nitinol) alloy. In this study, research is conducted to use Nitinol as a pair of coiled muscles for the flexion and extension - actuation processes and also to check their biocompatibility. The unique arrangement of nitinol springs actuators enables the robotic hand to curl and uncurl its fingers, to hold something. It has a design power requirement of a minimum of 14 watts. The shape setting of nitinol wire of 0.4mm dia to form springs was carried out by firmly constraining it on a mandrel and then performing heat treatment. A series arrangement of nitinol springs along the forearm is implemented into a hand model after deliberation of different designs. Its activation is done using a joule heating approach. Finally, the performance characteristics of these nitinol spring actuators would be compared with the traditional robotic actuators and conclude this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]