Development of Advanced Actuators Using Shape Memory Alloys and Electrorheological Fluids

Abstract Actuators are used to perform a variety of functions in almost every type of electromechanical system, “smart” device, and instrument. Increasingly, in many applications, actuators need to achieve reduced size, mass, power consumption, and cost. Examples of industries that demand novel, miniature, and powerful actuators are medicine, biotechnology, information technology, space, manufacturing, entertainment, military, and micro- and nanotechnology. Conventional actuators such as DC motors, pneumatic motors, and hydraulic motors are energy-wasting, large-volume, and heavy-mass actuation systems. Novel design methodologies, materials, and paradigms are currently needed in order to develop such lightweight and powerful actuation systems. In this paper we present the development of two novel, compact, and powerful smart material-based advanced actuators. The first motor is a shape memory alloy (SMA) bundle actuator, and the second is a hybrid concept based on electrorheological fluids (ERFs) and electromagnetic components. A detailed review of the state of the art in SMA- and ERF-based actuators is also presented.