Shape Memory Crawling Robot
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Friday, 25 of January , 2008 at 7:05 am
The neat thing about this little bot is that his internal muscle consists of a shape memory alloy wire. Shape memory metals are able to “remember” a shape, and return to that shape after they’ve been deformed through the application of heat. It looks like the way this robot works is that the joint is pulled closed with a spring, and when the shape memory “muscle” is heated, it straightens, opening the joint. Small bristles on the footpads keep it moving forward.
People have been playing with shape memory alloys for years, and they’re totally cool. Imagine having a car with shape memory alloy paneling: got a dent? Fix it with your zippo. All it’s going to take is finding some way to make shape memory alloy available cheaply and in bulk. Someone get on that, please.
VIA [ Eggshell Robotics ]
Category: Research
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