Comparison of the Hysteresis Response of Super-Coiled Polymer Actuators

Abstract In recent years, super-coiled polymer (SCP) actuators have been investigated as a higher yield, low-cost alternative to conventional actuators. A major challenge has been finding appropriate general and industry uses for these actuators due to their hysteretic response. This paper seeks to compare the response for SCP actuators based on different thread weights and sizes and thus suggest possible directions for their use. The actuators were produced through coiling and heat training controlled via Arduino. The responses were obtained by supplying a controlled voltage to the system. The response was filmed and processed using matlab; the resulting displacement and strain were used to observe the hysteretic characteristics. Based on the characteristics noted, different applications were recommended for these SCP actuators. It is recommended that this research into SCP actuators be furthered by developing hysteresis models for compensation, control, and exploring their use in robotic systems and tactile mechanisms.