Professor　T.　T.　Soong　is　one　of　the　early　pioneers　in　field　of　earthquake　response　control　of　structures.　A　new　type　of　smart　damper,　which　is　based　on　an　Energy　Dissipating　Restraint　(EDR),　is　presented　in　this　paper.　The　EDR　by　Nims　and　Kelly,　which　has　a　triangle　hysteretic　loop,　behaves　like　an　active　variable　stiffness　system　(AVS)　and　possesses　the　basic　characteristics　of　a　linear　viscous　damper　but　has　difficulty　in　capturing　the　output　and　large　stroke　simultaneously　needed　for　practical　applicataions　in　engineering　structures.　In　order　to　overcome　this　limitation,　the　friction　surface　in　the　original　Sumitomo　EDR　is　divided　into　two　parts　with　low　and　high　friction　coefficients　in　this　paper.　The　results　of　finite　element　analysis　studies　show　that　the　new　type　of　smart　friction　damper　enables　large　friction　force　in　proportion　to　relative　displacement　between　two　ends　of　the　damper　and　has　a　large　allowable　displacement　to　fit　the　demands　of　engineering　applications.　However,　unlike　the　EDR　by　Nims　and　Kelly,　this　type　of　friction　variable　damper　cannot　self　re-center.　However,　the　lateral　stiffness　can　be　used　to　restore　the　structure.　The　nonlinear　time　history　analysis　of　earthquake　response　for　a　structure　equipped　with　the　proposed　friction　variable　dampers　was　carried　out　using　the　IDARC　computer　program.　The　results　indicate　that　the　proposed　damper　can　successfully　reduce　the　earthquake　response　of　a　structure.