Fabric muscle is important for wearable robots that are soft, compliant, and silent with high contractility and high force. This study presents a novel shape memory alloy (SMA) spring-based fabric muscle (SFM). The SFM is manufactured by bundling SMA springs with proven performance as artificial muscle. The SFM generates high contractility and high force, and is soft, flexible, and light because it is covered with fabric used to make actual clothes. The SFM is contracted by heat and shows a contraction strain of 50% at a heating temperature of 70°C while generating 100 N force or higher. Furthermore, it generates a maximum contraction strain of 67% under no load. To drive it with the optimum voltage and current, the SFM is designed by optimizing the serial and parallel connection methods for the embedded SMA springs. We propose herein design and manufacturing methods for the SFM and verify the usability of the SFM as a soft actuator through a performance evaluation. The SFM as a soft actuator with a simple structure-like fabric is easily applicable to soft wearable robots that can support muscle power by simply being attached to usual suits. The SFM has a soft touch, and is lightweight; hence, it has the potential for wide applications to new-concept soft wearable robots that can be comfortably worn anytime and anywhere like usual clothes.

中文翻译：

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基于形状记忆合金弹簧的新型织物肌肉。

织物肌肉对于柔软、顺从、静音、高收缩力和高力量的可穿戴机器人很重要。本研究提出了一种新型形状记忆合金 (SMA) 弹簧基织物肌肉 (SFM)。SFM 是通过捆绑具有人工肌肉性能的 SMA 弹簧制成的。SFM 产生高收缩性和高力，并且柔软、灵活且轻便，因为它覆盖着用于制作实际衣服的织物。SFM 受热收缩，并在 70°C 的加热温度下显示出 50% 的收缩应变，同时产生 100 N 或更高的力。此外，它在空载下产生 67% 的最大收缩应变。为了以最佳电压和电流驱动它，SFM 通过优化嵌入式 SMA 弹簧的串联和并联连接方法来设计。我们在此提出了 SFM 的设计和制造方法，并通过性能评估验证了 SFM 作为软执行器的可用性。SFM 作为一种具有简单结构状织物的软执行器，很容易适用于柔软的可穿戴机器人，这些机器人可以通过简单地连接到通常的套装上来支持肌肉力量。SFM手感柔软，重量轻；因此，它具有广泛应用于新概念软可穿戴机器人的潜力，可以像普通衣服一样随时随地舒适地穿着。并且重量轻；因此，它具有广泛应用于新概念软可穿戴机器人的潜力，可以像普通衣服一样随时随地舒适地穿着。并且重量轻；因此，它具有广泛应用于新概念软可穿戴机器人的潜力，可以像普通衣服一样随时随地舒适地穿着。