A bio-inspired artificial muscle has been created by IIT Kanpur’s Smart Materials, Structures and Systems (SMSS) for use in future space robotics and medical prosthetics. Shape memory alloy (SMA) based actuators have become a viable alternative to traditional actuators due to industrial demand and advancement in the field of small, light-weight, non-magnetic gear-free actuators. These actuators have a good power-to-weight ratio.
Due to the relatively straightforward architecture of the actuation mechanism, the potential for larger force or torque output for present SMA actuators is constrained.
With the help of the Portescap CSR grant, the SMSS Lab at IIT Kanpur has increased the design area of the SMA actuator by utilising the qualities of bi-pennate muscle architecture, which has a 70 percent higher muscular force production per unit weight. This will lead to the development of a new class of space robots, strengthening Indian space technology.
Kanhaiya Lal Chaurasiya, Senior Project Engineer, Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur; Abhishek Kumar Singh, Senior Project Mechanic; A Sri Harsha and Yashaswi Sinha, Project Engineer, Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur make up the research team under the direction of Prof. Bishakh Bhattacharya, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Kanpur.
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