Design and quasi-static characterization of SMASH SMA (Stabilizing Handgrip)

Anupam Pathak; Diann Brei; Jonathan Luntz; Chris LaVigna; Harry Kwatny

doi:10.1117/12.715389

6 April 2007 Design and quasi-static characterization of SMASH (SMA stabilizing handgrip)

Anupam Pathak, Diann Brei, Jonathan Luntz, Chris LaVigna, Harry Kwatny

Proceedings Volume 6523, Modeling, Signal Processing, and Control for Smart Structures 2007; 652304 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.715389
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Due to physiologically induced body tremors, there is a need for active stabilization in many hand-held devices such as surgical tools, optical equipment (cameras), manufacturing tools, and small arms weapons. While active stabilization has been achieved with electromagnetic and piezoceramics actuators for cameras and surgical equipment, the hostile environment along with larger loads introduced by manufacturing and battlefield environments make these approaches unsuitable. Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators are capable of alleviating these limitations with their large force/stroke generation, smaller size, lower weight, and increased ruggedness. This paper presents the actuator design and quasi-static characterization of a SMA Stabilizing Handgrip (SMASH). SMASH is an antagonistically SMA actuated two degree-of-freedom stabilizer for disturbances in the elevation and azimuth directions. The design of the SMASH for a given application is challenging because of the difficulty in accurately modeling systems loads such as friction and unknown shakedown SMA material behavior (which is dependent upon the system loads). Thus, an iterative empirical design process is introduced that provides a method to estimate system loads, a SMA shakedown procedure using the system loads to reduce material creep, and a final selection and prediction for the full SMASH system performance. As means to demonstrate this process, a SMASH was designed, built and experimentally characterized for the extreme case study of small arms stabilization for a US Army M16 rifle. This study successfully demonstrated the new SMASH technology along with the unique design procedure that can be applied to small arms along with a variety of other hand-held devices.

Citation Download Citation

Anupam Pathak, Diann Brei, Jonathan Luntz, Chris LaVigna, and Harry Kwatny "Design and quasi-static characterization of SMASH (SMA stabilizing handgrip)", Proc. SPIE 6523, Modeling, Signal Processing, and Control for Smart Structures 2007, 652304 (6 April 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.715389

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