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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RECENT TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING (IJRTTE)

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Design and Development of Bionic Robotic Arms using Shape Memory Alloy Actuation for Human-Mimetic Motion

V Naga Siva Rama Murthy
Assistant Professor, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Ramachandra College of Engineering, India.
Aathisesan D
IV Year student, Department of CSE, New Prince Shri Bhavani College of Engineering and Technology, India.
Balaramesh Palanivelu
Associate Professor of Chemistry, Department of Science and Humanities, R.M.K. Engineering College, India.

Keywords: Bionic robotic arm, shape memory alloy, human-mimetic motion, adaptive control, energy efficiency, soft actuation, prosthetic design

Abstract

The advancement of bionic robotic limbs demands actuator technologies that closely emulate natural human motion while maintaining efficiency, compactness, and safety. This paper presents the design and development of a bionic robotic arm powered by Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuation, engineered to replicate human-mimetic movements through bio-inspired joint placement and tendon routing. Unlike conventional rigid motor based systems, the proposed arm utilizes lightweight, flexible SMA wires to achieve smooth, silent, and anthropomorphic articulation across multiple degrees of freedom. To address common limitations in prior SMA-based designs such as slow thermal response, limited adaptability, and energy inefficiency this work integrates a real-time feedback-driven control strategy, passive cooling enhancements, and an optimized joint configuration. The system demonstrates superior static power efficiency, high motion fidelity, and scalable architecture applicable to prosthetics, rehabilitation, and wearable robotics. Experimental results validate the arm’s ability to execute complex gestures with precision and responsiveness while maintaining low power consumption and mechanical simplicity. This study contributes a reproducible, cost-effective framework for next-generation human-assistive robotic systems.
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Published
2023-12-18
Pages
1-10
Issue
Vol. 2 No. 4 (2023): IJRTTE - 02 - 04
Section
Articles

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