Comparison of the Hysteresis Response of Super-Coiled Polymer Actuators

Josh H. P. Henry and Jacqueline Bridge
ASME. J. Comput. Nonlinear Dynam. August 2023; 18(8): 081012.
https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4062660

​A major issue with advancing prosthetics and robotics technology is mimicking natural motion. Super-Coiled Polymer (SCP) actuators are an economical and high-yield alternative to traditional actuators. However, the challenge lies in identifying suitable applications due to their hysteresis. By comparing SCP actuators with varying thread sizes, this paper suggests potential directions for their utilization. The actuators were created using coiling and heat training, controlled by Arduino. MATLAB was used to analyze the recorded data, focusing on the motion to assess the hysteresis characteristics. The observed characteristics inform recommendations for diverse applications in sensitive and coarse control systems.

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