Abstract
Currently, robotics and end-effectors pertaining to extremity functions, such as a hand or picker, their mechanical components have limitations, including servo motors, pulleys, hinges, and other components that drive a system of displacements. Each component in a dynamic system has an association of input-output lag or error from the control system to the point of physical movement that can cause delayed responses. In this work, a numerical model using shape memory alloys, (SMAs) as a solution architecture of a robotic finger to achieve faster response time near that of a natural human finger was performed. Nitinol was selected as the SMA material and simplified cantilever beam modeled in MATLAB Simulink to analyze electrothermal responses. The simulation results will show approximately 46% faster response time compared to a traditional robotic system. This is a theoretical approach; furthermore, additional experimental research will need to be conducted for physical proof of concept.