Abstract
The research shows a bioinspired approach to be adopted to design of systems based on Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs), a class of Smart Materials that has in common with muscles the capability to react to an impulse (thermal for SMAs) with a contraction. The biomechanically inspired machine that is discussed in the paper refers to the antagonistic muscles pairs, which belongs to the Skeletal Muscles and are normally arranged in opposition so that as one group of muscles contract another group relaxes or lengthens. The study proposes a model, a solution not only to design a specific application, but also to provide an approach to be used for a wide range of adaptive applications (switchable windows, smart shadow systems, parking and urban shelters, etc.), where the shape changes in response to different external stimuli. The use of antagonist pairs mechanism provides a solution for better optimized systems based on SMAs where the main and proven advantages are: Easier and faster change of shape, lower need of energy for system operation, lower cost for SMA training and no problem of overheating.
Highlights
The research presented has the aim to show that better optimized systems based on Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) can be designed using muscles working as biomimetic model
This step is important because the suppliers of SMAs provide only information on characteristic temperatures that the alloy has before of its training, but the range of transition temperatures changes after the heat treatment used for SMA programming (Kus and Breczko, 2010)
The aim of the research presented is not to design a specific application, but to provide a biomimetic model to be used for a wide range of adaptive applications, where the shape changes in response to different external stimuli
Summary
The research presented has the aim to show that better optimized systems based on Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) can be designed using muscles working as biomimetic model. Skeletal muscles are held to the bones by tendons, which role is to transfer the force generated by the muscles contraction to the bone joint. Tendons are made of robust tissue and they work as special viscoelastic connectors between bone and muscle. For an adduction movement in a joint, contraction and shortening of the muscle generates a force that is applied on a lever system that causes the joint adduction movements. To recover its initial position, the reciprocal muscle on the other side of the joint contracts and shortens. As described by Biewener and Roberts (2000), muscles are normally coupled in opposition so that movements of joints are driven by a mechanism in which one group of muscles contracts while another group relaxes or lengthens
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