Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!utnut!torn!nott!cunews!Carleton.CA!Brian_Sullivan
From: Brian_Sullivan@Carleton.CA (Brian_Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Muscle wires for robots ?
Message-ID: <Brian_Sullivan.50@Carleton.CA>
Keywords: SMA, muscles, wires, 
Sender: news@cunews.carleton.ca (News Administrator)
Organization: Carleton University
References: <26401@mindlink.bc.ca> <CA0Bvt.3q6@world.std.com> <CA2I6M.50x.1@cs.cmu.edu>
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1993 13:39:34 GMT
Lines: 13

In article <CA2I6M.50x.1@cs.cmu.edu> hbb@e4.ius.cs.cmu.edu (Ben Brown) writes:

>Aside from slow response, another problem with SMA (shape memory alloy)
>actuators is inefficiency. Typically they produce mechanical work less
>than 10% of the input energy. I have heard figures of a few percent
>quoted. I don't know what the theoretical limits on effiency are.

>       Ben

ON larger models that may be a problem, but in the field of micro-bots
SMA wire offers a simple away to contol movement. Very small 
motors have been built. They can do the same job, but tend to be 
expensive.
