An artificial muscle actuator resolves practical engineering problems in compact wearable devices, which are limited to conventional actuators such as electromagnetic actuators. Abstracting the fundamental advantages of an artificial muscle actuator provides a small-scale, high-power actuating system with a sensing capability for developing varifocal augmented reality glasses and naturally fit haptic gloves. Here, we design a shape memory alloy-based lightweight and high-power artificial muscle actuator, the so-called compliant amplified shape memory alloy actuator. Despite its light weight (0.22 g), the actuator has a high power density of 1.7 kW/kg, an actuation strain of 300% under 80 g of external payload. We show how the actuator enables image depth control and an immersive tactile response in the form of augmented reality glasses and two-way communication haptic gloves whose thin form factor and high power density can hardly be achieved by conventional actuators.
This work is funded by the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology and supported by Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, the new faculty research fund of Ajou University, the Ajou University research fund, and Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2021R1C1C1011872, 2019R1C1C1007629). The design of the AR prototype was supported by Corporate Design Center of Samsung Electronics. We acknowledge the advice and discussion about the demonstration of the haptic glove from D. Lee and all members of the Ajou Multiscale Bio-inspired Technology Laboratory for their help and assistance.
