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2010
Conference Paper
Titel
Development of a shape memory based drive and control concept for a hand prosthesis
Abstract
Shape-memory-alloys (SMA) are easy to integrate into mechanical structures and capable of handling high specific workloads. Therefore, SMA's possess an outstanding potential to serve as positioning devices in artificial limbs. In this article the development process of shape-memory actuated hand prosthesis is presented. SMA actuators are used in a feedback-control-loop to control the displacements of the finger-tips. To design the controller a simple model is derived from the energy flows in the actuator. Instead of using an external position sensor the controller is driven by the measured resistance of the shape memory wire. The controller is implemented on a rapid-prototyping-system and the functionality of the hand prosthesis is validated by gripping a defined cylindrical body in two different ways.