Reversible SMA actuator for micron sized robot

Abstract

A micron-sized robot using reversible shape-memory alloys (RSMA) is proposed. A larger active bending frame using larger-sized RSMA is analyzed and its homogeneous transformation matrix is derived. A SCARA robot using two larger-sized RSMAs was made and controlled by electrical current. It is shown that thin film of reversible TiNi alloy for a micron-sized robot could be made by a magnetron sputtering method and by heat treatment methods, and that the frequency response of 10- mu m-thick thin film of reversible TiNi alloy is about 5 Hz.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>