LAMP ROBOT WITH MEMORY METAL DRIVES

Abstract
A lamp robot that obeys verbal orders. The principle of the lamp is basically a combination of two new technologies : speech recognition and memory metal. The lamp can move in six directions, and the movements can be generated by extremely small memory metal elements with a total mass of about 3 grams. The temperature of the memory elements and thus also their shape can be remote controlled by a system which exists of a Personal Computer with a speech recognition card and a microphone, an interface with D/A and A/D-converter and amplifier and the lamp robot itself. Heating of the memory metal is achieved by direct resistance heating pulses from the interface. The position of each drive system is recorded continiously by miniature precision potentiometers and any desired intermediate position can be reached and kept by spoken commands. A fast transformation of the TiNi-elements and so short response times is achieved by the use of very thin flat rolled wire of 0.2 * 1.7 mm, produced by Memory Metal Holland in Enschede. This flat wire combines high recovery forces with much higher cooling rates than round wire. The lamp robot has been developed for and installed in "The House of the Future" in Rosmalen, The Netherlands, which gives a permanent exhibition of possible applications of new technologies in houses. A possible application is for use by disabled persons.