A Study on Anthropomorphic Robot Hand Simulation Driven by SMA Wire Using Segment Control

摘要

In recent years, as the robot technology is developed, the researches on the artificial muscle actuator that enables robot to move dexterously like biological organ become active. Actuators are one of the key technologies underpinning robotics. Particularly breakthroughs of power-to-weight ratio or energy-density in actuator technology have significant impacts upon the design and the control of robotic systems. The widely used materials for artificial muscle are the shape memory alloy and electro-active polymer. These actuators have the higher energy density than the electromechanical actuators such as the electric motor. However, there are some drawbacks because these actuators have the hysteretic dynamic characteristics. In this paper, the segment control for reducing the hysteresis of SMA is proposed and the simulation of an anthropomorphic robotic hand is performed using ADAMS. A new approach to design and control of SMA actuators is presented. SMA wire is divided into many segments and their thermal states are controlled individually in a binary manner(ON/OFF). The basic experiment for evaluating the dynamic characteristics of SMA wire actuator is performed.