Fabrication, modeling and set-point control of a new flexible microrobot module (FMM) by using SMA actuators

Various modules have been introduced by the researches which each one has special capabilities and is able to perform some tasks as the basic segment of a microrobot system. In most of previous works a module had been designed to produce either translational movement or rotational movement. But this paper is concerned with a new flexible microrobot module (FMM) which is actuated by shape memory alloy springs and able to provide both translational and rotational displacements. The final fabricated FMM will be presented and its theoretical modeling will be verified by open-loop experimental tests. Then, in order to achieve the desired maneuvers, a PID and a Bang-Bang controller will be designed and they will be applied experimentally to provide set-point control of the FMM's maneuvers. It will be discussed that the experimental results of the control procedure show acceptable function of the controllers. Moreover, the performance of the two controllers will be compared with each other.