Shape memory alloy (SMA) thin films, especially those based on Ni-Ti, have received considerable attention since it was demonstrated that they can undergo a nearly perfect shape memory effect [1-7]. When SMA films are used as actuators in MEMS devices, biasing springs are generally needed to restore the initial state in order to achieve a twoway shape memory effect. As a result, use of SMA actu...

*Correspondence: Marcelo J. Dapino, 201 West 19th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA e-mail: [email protected] Shape memory composites (SMCs) based on shape memory alloys (SMAs) and shape memory polymers (SMPs) allow many design possibilities due to their controllable temperature-dependent mechanical properties. The complementary characteristics of SMAs and SMPs can be utilized in systems with shap...

This study presents results from an effort to fabricate a shape memory alloy hybrid composite (SMAHC) panel specimen and test the structure for dynamic response and noise transmission characteristics under the action of thermal and random acoustic loads. A method for fabricating a SMAHC laminate with bi-directional SMA reinforcement is described. Glass-epoxy unidirectional prepreg tape and Niti...

Innovative Technology To improve steering precision in needles as well as hollow, flexible cannula, researchers at the University of Maryland have introduced discrete actuators along the length of the probing device. The probe (needle or cannula) can be bent in the required direction in real-time, allowing more areas of the body tissues to be targeted with greater accuracy. A shape memory alloy...

This paper presents the designing, simulation, fabrication and control of a gripper actuated by Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) wire. The presented gripper has the advantage of the small linear displacement of the slider connected to the SMA wire, and can convert the linear displacement into angular movement of the gripper fingers. In this study, design and simulation processes have been done by two p...

The single crystal Cu-Al-Ni alloys became generally commercialized. It can be observed that response time of any single crystal Cu-Al-Ni-based shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator is greater than the necessary when it is used for human prosthesis. Moreover, the electrical SMA actuator type with better performance than the thermal one is very problematic for this type of crystal due to its low elec...

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) have interesting properties for application in adaptive structures, and many researchers have already explored their possibilities. However, the complex behavior of the material makes the development of SMA adaptive structures a challenging task. It is generally accepted that systematic, model-based design approaches and design optimization techniques can be of great ...

A combined theoretical/experimental study of the heat transfer in thermoelectric Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators is undertaken in this paper. A one-dimensional model of a thermoelectric unit cell with a SMA junction is developed rst and the transient temperatures in the SMA are evaluated for di erent applied electric current densities. As a rst step towards the design of an actuator, a therm...

The purpose of this paper is to design and optimize an intelligent fuzzy-logic controller for a three-degree of freedom (3DOF) artificial finger with shape-memory alloy (SMA) wire actuators. The robotic finger is constructed using three SMA wires as tendons to bend each phalanx of the finger around its revolute joint and three torsion springs which return the phalanxes to their original positio...