Justin Manzo and Ephrahim Garcia 2009 Smart Mater. Struct. 18 125020 doi:10.1088/0964-1726/18/12/125020
Justin Manzo and Ephrahim Garcia
Show affiliationsThe active rigidity joint is a composite mechanism using shape memory alloy and shape memory polymer to create a passively rigid joint with thermally activated deflection. A new model for the active rigidity joint relaxes constraints of earlier methods and allows for more accurate deflection predictions compared to finite element results. Using an iterative process to determine the strain distribution and deflection, the method demonstrates accurate results for both surface bonded and embedded actuators with and without external loading. Deflection capabilities are explored through simulated annealing heuristic optimization using a variety of cost functions to explore actuator performance. A family of responses presents actuator characteristics in terms of load bearing and deflection capabilities given material and thermal constraints. Optimization greatly expands the available workspace of the active rigidity joint from the initial configuration, demonstrating specific work capabilities comparable to those of muscle tissue.
81.40.Jj Elasticity and anelasticity, stress-strain relations
02.60.Pn Numerical optimization
07.07.Tw Servo and control equipment; robots
Issue 12 (December 2009)
Received 21 July 2009, in final form 14 September 2009
Published 29 October 2009
Justin Manzo and Ephrahim Garcia 2009 Smart Mater. Struct. 18 125020
Ovidiu I Pâţu et al 2008 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 41 255205
Bum-Hoon Lee and Wonwoo Lee 2009 Class. Quantum Grav. 26 225002
G. Duplancić et al JHEP04(2008)014
G Gonnella et al 2008 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 41 105001
Hamid Reza Mohebbi and A Hamed Majedi 2009 Supercond. Sci. Technol. 22 125028
T Kaneko et al 2009 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 190 012062
Yu-Chung N Cheng et al 2009 Phys. Med. Biol. 54 1169
J D E Grant and J A Vickers 2009 Class. Quantum Grav. 26 235014
Manuel Palacio and Bharat Bhushan 2008 Nanotechnology 19 315710