Development of a soft metal hydride actuator using a laminate bellows for rehabilitation systems

Rehabilitation systems and assistive technology devices for people with motor disabilities caused by stroke or the aging process require a human-friendly actuator that is soft, compact, slow, noiseless, and environmentally benign. In order to realize these kinds of kinetic rehabilitation systems, we design a soft metal hydride (MH) actuator using a laminate bellows. For the purpose of this study, we develop the soft and light bellows made of a...