Role of Shape Memory Alloy Wires as a SENSAPTIC HMI Device

A pair of shape memory alloy (SMA) wires instrumented in a synergistic configuration that performs shared sensing and actuation, exhibiting bi-functionality. The device can function as a sensor for positioning and as a variable impedance actuator to generate active force (haptic) feedback to the operator. The uniqueness of this work is to formulate the technique of sensaptics in an SMA wire employed device, a two-in-one module for the purpose of servoing and to create haptics as a result of which it also takes control action for an advanced driver assistance system. The paper discloses the open-loop experimental procedure for the identification of the excitation current to sense. Real-time study on the static and dynamic responses of the sensaptics device and the responses of the device are tested for an active car following algorithm in a simulated virtual reality machine language environment with hardware in the loop and it is presented.