In a soft actuator, a soft actuator assembly having the soft actuator, and a wearable robot having the soft actuator or the soft actuator assembly, the soft actuator includes a first spring bundle, a first conductive pad and a second conductive pad. The first spring bundle has a plurality of fine wires, and is configured to be capable of being changed between a contraction state and a relaxation state according to a change of temperature. The first conductive pad has a first connector electrically connected to a first end of the first spring bundle. The second conductive pad has a second connector electrically connected to a second end of the first spring bundle. The first connector is fixed between the first conductive pad and the first spring bundle, and the second connector is fixed between the second conductive pad and the first spring bundle.

Bistable shape memory alloy inertial actuator capable of preventing accidental actuation caused by environmental temperature variations, its method of operation and its use in devices.

A passive tube closure valve comprising an elongated body extending along a first axis made of a shape memory alloy with a threshold contraction along the first axis at a threshold temperature. The closure valve further comprises a passageway extending along a second axis different from the first axis shaped to surround a conduit line extending along the second axis. The closure valve further includes a first modifying structure on a first portion of the passageway and a second modifying structure on a second portion of the passageway opposite the first modifying structure. Contraction of the elongated body can cause the first modifying structure and the second modifying structure to move towards each other; where movement of at least one of the first modifying structure or the second modifying structures can be configured to modify the conduit line.

A driving device includes a first driving element and a first flexible structure. The first driving element includes a first wire extending in a first direction and includes a shape memory alloy. The first flexible structure has a certain width in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and when the first wire contracts in the first direction, the first flexible structure has a height increasing in a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction. The driving device further includes a second driving element including a second wire and a second flexible structure, the second wire extending in the first direction and including a shape memory alloy. The second flexible structure has a certain width in the second direction, and when the second wire contracts in the first direction, the second flexible structure has a height increasing in the third direction.

A hybrid actuation device including an artificial muscle is disclosed. The artificial muscle includes a housing including a first reinforcing thread extending across an expandable fluid region of the housing, an electrode pair positioned in an electrode region of the housing, and a dielectric fluid housed within the housing. The electrode pair includes a first electrode positioned adjacent a first surface of the housing and a second electrode positioned adjacent a second surface of the housing. The electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated state and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region. The first reinforcing thread restricts expansion of the expandable fluid region when the electrode pair is in the actuated state.

A driving device includes a first driving element and a first flexible structure. The first driving element includes a first wire extending in a first direction and includes a shape memory alloy. The first flexible structure has a certain width in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and when the first wire contracts in the first direction, the first flexible structure has a height increasing in a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction. The driving device further includes a second driving element including a second wire and a second flexible structure, the second wire extending in the first direction and including a shape memory alloy. The second flexible structure has a certain width in the second direction, and when the second wire contracts in the first direction, the second flexible structure has a height increasing in the third direction.

The present disclosure relates to a terminal device and a method for controlling an image acquirer. The terminal device includes: a shell; an image acquirer positioned in the shell; and a driver positioned in the shell and connected with the image acquirer. The driver includes a memory metal, and the memory metal has different lengths in an energized state and a deenergized state, and is configured to control the image acquirer to get into and out of the shell by length extension and contraction.

An energy-recovery device comprises an engine, an immersion chamber, a drive, and a power module. The engine comprises a core comprising a core element that comprises working material, the core element comprising a fixed first end and a second end that is connected to the drive. The immersion chamber houses the engine and is configured to be sequentially filled with fluid to expand and contract the core element. The power module applies a controlled stress to the core element during at least one of a heating phase and a cooling phase of a power cycle carried out by the engine.

Bistable shape memory alloy inertial actuator capable of preventing accidental actuation caused by environmental temperature variations, its method of operation and its use in devices.

A time-of-flight sensor system 10 comprising: an illumination source 11 for illuminating a subject 19 to which a time-of-flight is to be measured; an optical system configured to, using an at least one actuator, transition the illumination source 11 between providing spot illumination and flood illumination; and a sensor 12 comprising a sensor surface. The sensor surface is configured to sense light scattered by the subject 19 from the illumination source 12 and to provide data dependent on sensed light. The spot illumination has a spatially non-uniform intensity over the sensor surface, and the optical system is configured to move the spot illumination across at least part of the sensor surface to generate an output frame, wherein the at least one actuator comprises at least one shape memory alloy (SMA) component.