Modeling and optimal design of Neuro-Mechanical Shape Memory Devices
In this paper we describe the modeling and optimization of what we refer to as Neuro-Mechanical Shape Memory Devices (NMSMDs). These are active mechanical structures which are designed to take on specific shapes in response to certain external stimuli. An NMSMD is a particular example of a Neuro-Mechanical Network (NMN), a mechanical structure that consists of a network of simple but multifunctional elements. In the present work, each element contains an actuator and an artificial neuron, and when assembled into a structure the elements form an actuated truss with a superimposed recurrent neural network. The task of designing an NMSMD is cast as an optimization problem in which a measure of the error between the actual and desired shape for a number of given stimuli is minimized. The optimization problems are solved using a gradient based solver, and some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the results from the design process and some aspects of the proposed model.
shape memory neuro-mechanical networks active truss structural optimization