Journal articles: 'Pneumatic muscle actuator'

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Piteľ, Ján, and Mária Tóthová. "Operating Characteristics of Antagonistic Actuator with Pneumatic Artificial Muscles." Applied Mechanics and Materials 616 (August 2014): 101–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.616.101.

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Nonconventional actuators based on the pneumatic artificial muscles can be used in manipulators mainly for their lower energy consumption and higher performance at lower weight. In the paper there are compared the dynamic operating characteristics of the antagonistic actuator with the pneumatic artificial muscles obtained by simulation of the different muscle models in Matlab / Simulink environment with the real measured data on the experimental actuator. The results of these simulations and measurements confirmed highly nonlinear operating characteristics of such actuator and also right approach to the design of the actuator model using different muscle models.

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Budiarto, Eka, Dimas Anindito Widjanarko, and Lydia Kidarsa. "Implementation of Pneumatic Air Muscle for Actuating Knee Exoskeleton Using Four-Bar Linkage." ICONIET PROCEEDING 2, no. 3 (February 13, 2019): 157–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.33555/iconiet.v2i3.27.

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The knee exoskeleton is a device that assists users with weak knees to walk. It consists of a mechanical construction put around the human knee which is equipped with an actuator for movement. One mechanism that can be used to mimic movement of the real knee is the four-bar linkage. This research explores the possibility of using pneumatic air muscles as actuators for a knee exoskeleton with four-bar linkage implementation. A pneumatic air muscle is a single-acting linear actuator that contracts when filled with pressurized air, mimicking muscle contraction. It is much lighter than electrical motors, but—according to characterization done in this research—is difficult to control due to its inconsistent torque output. Nevertheless, this research shows that simple gait movements can be simulated using a knee exoskeleton actuated by pneumatic air muscles with an on-off control scheme.

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Tóthová, Mária, Ján Piteľ, and Jana Boržíková. "Operating Modes of Pneumatic Artificial Muscle Actuator." Applied Mechanics and Materials 308 (February 2013): 39–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.308.39.

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The paper describes operating modes of the PAM based actuator consisting of two pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) in antagonistic connection. The artificial muscles are acting against themselves and resultant position of the actuator is given by equilibrium of their forces according to different pressures in muscles. The main requirement for operation of such pneumatic actuator is uniform movement and accurate arm position control according to input desired variable. There are described in paper operation characteristics of the pneumatic artificial muscle in variable pressure and then operation characteristics of the pneumatic artificial muscle actuator consisting of two muscles in antagonistic connection.

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Odenbach, Robert, Alan Guthrie, and Michael Friebe. "Evaluation of MRI-compatible pneumatic muscle stepper motors." Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering 5, no. 1 (September 1, 2019): 339–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2019-1570538319.

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AbstractThe automation of instruments and tools (e.g. bone drill) or robotic devices (e.g. needle positioning robot for prostate surgery) for use in interventional MRI (iMRI) is still challenging due to a lack of accurate, affordable and completely metal-free actuators and motors. Inspired by biological muscles, a bionic equivalent known as the fluid muscle actuator (which can be operated pneumatically or hydraulically) is well-known in the mechanical engineering industry. Fluid muscle actuators have multiple beneficial characteristics: they are simple, self-returning, low-friction and can produce relatively high actuation forces at low diameters and pressures. We present two novel designs for metal-free, pneumatic stepper motors for potential application in iMRI. Our stepper motors are powered by simple pneumatic muscles, which are assembled from low-cost off-the-shelf components. Besides, the components of the stepper motor demonstrators were 3Dprinted using a stereolithographic additive manufacturing process (SLA printing). We evaluate the effect of pneumatic muscle length on contractile force and length. Our results demonstrated the functional feasibility of the pneumatic muscle-powered and fully MRI-compatible stepper motor designs. In a next step, we will optimize the motor´s design, characterize their performance and reliability, and use the stepper motors to power a micropositioning device in iMRI-phantom tests.

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Zhang, Xiaotian, and Girish Krishnan. "A nested pneumatic muscle arrangement for amplified stroke and force behavior." Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 29, no. 6 (September 22, 2017): 1139–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389x17730920.

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This article presents a compact nested architecture to amplify the displacement and forces of pneumatic artificial muscles for potential use in human assistive devices and other robotic applications. The nested architecture consists of several levels in series, and each level is made up of contracting pneumatic muscles, passive force transfer members, and additively manufactured interconnects. The stroke obtained from the nested pneumatic artificial muscle architecture is not always beneficial and is limited by the length-dependent behavior of pneumatic artificial muscles and other practical manufacturing constraints such as the size of the interconnects. Thus, this article studies the effect of the pneumatic artificial muscle length on its stroke using a modified constrained volume maximization formulation, which predicts the actual shape of the deformed pneumatic artificial muscle, and models additional stiffness due to membrane bending. Using this formulation, a framework is presented to optimally design the number of nested levels and individual actuators in each level to obtain a required stroke. Such a system is designed to actuate the human elbow by an angle of 80°, where almost 40% contraction is obtained using custom-manufactured pneumatic artificial muscles inherently capable of contracting upto 17% of its length. The framework can be used to amplify the stroke and forces of any pneumatic artificial muscle actuator and adapt it to different application requirements.

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Saga, N., J. Nagase, and T. Saikawa. "Pneumatic Artificial Muscles Based on Biomechanical Characteristics of Human Muscles." Applied Bionics and Biomechanics 3, no. 3 (2006): 191–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2006/427569.

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This article reports the pneumatic artificial muscles based on biomechanical characteristics of human muscles. A wearable device and a rehabilitation robot that assist a human muscle should have characteristics similar to those of human muscle. In addition, since the wearable device and the rehabilitation robot should be light, an actuator with a high power to weight ratio is needed. At present, the McKibben type is widely used as an artificial muscle, but in fact its physical model is highly nonlinear. Therefore, an artificial muscle actuator has been developed in which high-strength carbon fibres have been built into the silicone tube. However, its contraction rate is smaller than the actual biological muscles. On the other hand, if an artificial muscle that contracts axially is installed in a robot as compactly as the robot hand, big installing space is required. Therefore, an artificial muscle with a high contraction rate and a tendon-driven system as a compact actuator were developed, respectively. In this study, we report on the basic structure and basic characteristics of two types of actuators.

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Noritsugu, Toshiro. "Human Friendly Soft Pneumatic Actuator and Application to Rehabilitation Robot." Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics 9, no. 1 (February 20, 1997): 7–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jrm.1997.p0007.

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A human-robot coexisting system requires the essential function such as safety and flexibility which are not common in general industrial robots. To build up such a robot system, an inherently flexible actuator must be effectively used rather than a conventional rigid actuator. A pneumatic actuator seems just available as such a human friendly actuator. In this paper, a property of the flexibility of pneumatic actuator is analyzed compared with a DC electric motor. Also the application of a pneumatic rubber artificial muscle actuator to a rehabilitation robot is discussed. The results show that a pneumatic actuator can well work as one of human friendly actuators with cooperation of a proper control strategy.

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Chen, Yinglong, Junhao Zhang, and Yongjun Gong. "Novel Design and Modeling of a Soft Pneumatic Actuator Based on Antagonism Mechanism." Actuators 9, no. 4 (October 21, 2020): 107. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/act9040107.

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The soft actuator possesses the characteristics of flexibility, environmental adaptability, and human–machine interaction. Firstly, aiming to resolve the limitation of variable stiffness performance of a traditional pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM) actuator, based on the antagonistic mechanism of extensor and contractor muscles, a novel pneumatic soft actuator coupled of extensor and contractor muscles is proposed in this paper. The actuator can perform the compound action of elongation/contraction, and the stiffness of it can be controlled by adjusting the elongation and contraction forces. Secondly, based on the deformation principle of woven and elastic fabric layers, the mechanical characteristics model of the actuator is established and simulated. The mechanical properties of the actuator are tested under different pressures and deformation displacement and the variable stiffness characteristics of the actuator are verified. Finally, actuators are utilized to manufacture a soft mechanical manipulator, which can achieve variable stiffness in a fixed bending attitude.

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Hošovský, Alexander, and Kamil Židek. "Experimental Validation of Nominal Model Characteristics for Pneumatic Muscle Actuator." Applied Mechanics and Materials 460 (November 2013): 1–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.460.1.

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Pneumatic artificial muscles belong to a category of nonconventional pneumatic actuators that are distinctive for their high power/weight ratio, simple construction and low price and maintenance costs. As such, pneumatic artificial muscles represent an alternative type of pneumatic actuator that could replace the traditional ones in certain applications. Due to their specific construction, PAM-based systems have nonlinear characteristics which make it more difficult to design a control system with good performance. In the paper, a gray-box model (basically analytical but with certain experimental parts) of the one degree-of-freedom PAM-based actuator is derived. This model interconnects the description of pneumatic and mechanical part of the system through a set of several nonlinear differential equations and its main purpose is the design of intelligent control system in simulation environment. The model is validated in both open-loop and closed-loop mode using the measurements on real plant and the results confirm that model performance is in good agreement with the performance of real actuator.

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Kuriyama, Shinji, Ming Ding, Yuichi Kurita, Jun Ueda, and Tsukasa Ogasawara. "Flexible Sensor for McKibben Pneumatic Artificial Muscle Actuator." International Journal of Automation Technology 3, no. 6 (November 5, 2009): 731–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/ijat.2009.p0731.

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The demand for flexible, lightweight McKibben pneumatic artificial muscles (McKibben actuators) has been increasing for power assistance equipment used for assisting and rehabilitating the elderly. To accurately control this equipment, the length of the actuator should be measured. However, the equipment becomes heavier and less flexible when a rigid sensor, such as a potentiometer or an encoder, is used. The sensor should be flexible in order to take advantage of the favorable properties of the McKibben actuator. The aim of this study is to measure the length of the actuator without loss of its advantages. We propose a method of estimating the length from the circumferential displacement, which can be measured by a sensor made of electroconductive, flexible rubber. Higher accuracy is obtained by measuring the circumferential displacement than by measuring the axial displacement using this sensor. The sensor’s flexibility enables us to accurately control the actuator without any loss of flexibility or increase in weight. Furthermore, the sensor does not require the attachment of any rigid fixtures. The accuracy of the estimate is successfully evaluated and the usefulness of the proposed method is verified through its application to a multi-link arm driven by the McKibben actuator.

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Yu, Lian Zhi. "Study on a Pneumatic Artificial Muscle Actuator." Advanced Materials Research 860-863 (December 2013): 2738–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.860-863.2738.

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Pneumatic artificial actuator had been designed and was used as power driven. A 3-DOF Pneumatic artificial actuator was described as a micro-robot flexible actuator, the mechanical model and dynamic characteristics were studied for high accurate control. The control system was designed and the actuator characteristics were tested in experiments. Results prove the pneumatic artificial actuator has good performances and can be controlled in high speed and high accuracy by computer system with PWM (Pulse Width Modulation: PWM).

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Li, Xiangpan, Toshiro Noritsugu, Masahiro Takaiwa, and Daisuke Sasaki. "Design of Wearable Power Assist Wear for Low Back Support Using Pneumatic Actuators." International Journal of Automation Technology 7, no. 2 (March 5, 2013): 228–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/ijat.2013.p0228.

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This research focuses on developing a safe, lightweight, power assist device that can be worn by people during lifting or static holding tasks to prevent them from experiencing Low Back Pain (LBP). In consideration of their flexibility, light weight, and large force to weight ratio, two types of pneumatic actuators are employed in assisting low back movement for their safety and comfort. Actuator A is an elongation-type pneumatic rubber artificial muscle that is installed in the outer layer of the garment. Its two ends are fixed on the shoulders and thighs. It can output contractile force, assisting the erector spinae muscles in the same direction. Compared to McKibben-type pneumatic rubber artificial muscle, the elongation type has a larger contraction rate. Actuator B is a layer-type of pneumatic actuator; it is composed of two balloons, and it is installed in the inner layer of the garment. By taking into account the biomechanic structure of the human spine, this device can provide support in two ways. Actuator A acts as an external muscle power generators to reduce the force requirement for the erector spinae muscles. As actuator B acts as a moment arm of the contractile force generated by actuator A, it will increase the effective amount of torque. The device can be worn directly on the body like normal clothing. Because there is no rigid exoskeleton frame structure, it is lightweight and user friendly. The system’s Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), composed of accelerometer sensors and gyro sensors to measure the human motion signals, can monitor the angles of the human body in real-time mode. By measuring the EMG signal of the human erector spinae muscles, the assistance effectiveness of the proposed device has been proven through experiments.

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Takashima, Kazuto, Daiki Iwamoto, Shun Oshiro, Toshiro Noritsugu, and Toshiharu Mukai. "Characteristics of Pneumatic Artificial Rubber Muscle Using Two Shape-Memory Polymer Sheets." Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics 33, no. 3 (June 20, 2021): 653–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jrm.2021.p0653.

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We have developed a pneumatic artificial rubber muscle having a bending direction that can be changed using two shape-memory polymer (SMP) sheets, the stiffness of which depends on the temperature. In the present study, we attached two SMP sheets with embedded electrical heating wires to both sides of a pneumatic artificial rubber muscle in order to realize multidirectional actuation and evaluated the basic characteristics of the artificial muscle. The actuator is based on the design of a conventional curved-type artificial rubber muscle. Since only a heated SMP sheet becomes soft, the rigid SMP sheet inhibits the extension of the side of the actuator. Therefore, bending motion can be induced when air is supplied to the internal bladder. By controlling the temperature of the SMP sheets, the bending direction of the prototype actuator could be changed. Namely, three kinds of motions, such as two-directional bending and axial extension, became possible. Moreover, we improved the manufacturing method and the structure of the artificial muscle, such as the stitching method and the SMP sheet thickness, and evaluated the characteristics of the two-directional bending and the axial extension motions of the prototype actuator. We also calculated the theoretical values and compared these values with the experimental results. Furthermore, we examined the application of the actuators to a robot hand. Using the two-directional motion of the actuator, the proposed robot hand can grasp either small or large objects. The experimental results conducted using this prototype confirm the feasibility of the newly proposed actuator.

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Takashima, Kazuto, Toshiro Noritsugu, Jonathan Rossiter, Shijie Guo, and Toshiharu Mukai. "Curved Type Pneumatic Artificial Rubber Muscle Using Shape-Memory Polymer." Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics 24, no. 3 (June 20, 2012): 472–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jrm.2012.p0472.

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A novel pneumatic artificial muscle actuator is presented which is based on the design of a conventional curved type pneumatic bellows actuator. By inhibiting the extension of one side with fiber reinforcement, bending motion can be induced when air is supplied to the internal bladder. In this study, we developed a new actuator by replacing the fiber reinforcement with a Shape-Memory Polymer (SMP). The SMP can be deformed above its glass transition temperature (Tg) and maintains a rigid shape after it is cooled below Tg. When next heated above Tg, it returns to its initial shape. When only part of our actuator is warmed above Tg, only that portion of the SMP is soft and can actuate. Therefore, the direction of the motion can be controlled by heating. Moreover, our actuator can be deformed by an external force above Tg and fixed by cooling it below Tg.

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Higueras-Ruiz, Diego R., Michael W. Shafer, and Heidi P. Feigenbaum. "Cavatappi artificial muscles from drawing, twisting, and coiling polymer tubes." Science Robotics 6, no. 53 (April 21, 2021): eabd5383. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.abd5383.

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Compliant, biomimetic actuation technologies that are both efficient and powerful are necessary for robotic systems that may one day interact, augment, and potentially integrate with humans. To this end, we introduce a fluid-driven muscle-like actuator fabricated from inexpensive polymer tubes. The actuation results from a specific processing of the tubes. First, the tubes are drawn, which enhances the anisotropy in their microstructure. Then, the tubes are twisted, and these twisted tubes can be used as a torsional actuator. Last, the twisted tubes are helically coiled into linear actuators. We call these linear actuators cavatappi artificial muscles based on their resemblance to the Italian pasta. After drawing and twisting, hydraulic or pneumatic pressure applied inside the tube results in localized untwisting of the helical microstructure. This untwisting manifests as a contraction of the helical pitch for the coiled configuration. Given the hydraulic or pneumatic activation source, these devices have the potential to substantially outperform similar thermally activated actuation technologies regarding actuation bandwidth, efficiency, modeling and controllability, and practical implementation. In this work, we show that cavatappi contracts more than 50% of its initial length and exhibits mechanical contractile efficiencies near 45%. We also demonstrate that cavatappi artificial muscles can exhibit a maximum specific work and power of 0.38 kilojoules per kilogram and 1.42 kilowatts per kilogram, respectively. Continued development of this technology will likely lead to even higher performance in the future.

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Durante, Francesco, Michele Gabrio Antonelli, Pierluigi Beomonte Zobel, and Terenziano Raparelli. "Development of a Straight Fibers Pneumatic Muscle." International Journal of Automation Technology 12, no. 3 (May 1, 2018): 413–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/ijat.2018.p0413.

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This paper presents the development and implementation of a pneumatic muscle actuator based on an idea proposed by a research group at the University of Warsaw. The muscle comprises a silicone rubber tube with plugs at the ends. The tube wall contains high-rigidity wires arranged parallel to the tube axis. Circular rings are present on the exterior of the tube. When air is introduced into the tube, the actuator becomes bulky and contracts. In order to establish a prediction model of muscle behavior, a finite element model was developed, and in this model, the Mooney-Rivlin formulation was implemented with two coefficients for rubber simulation and truss elements for the wires. Several prototypes were developed, and a test bench for the experimental characterization of muscle performance was set up. The results of comparison between prototype behavior and model prediction are presented. The finite element model can be used to design the actuator with different dimensions; hence, it was used to conduct a simulated test campaign to develop a quick actuator sizing procedure. Using dimensional analysis, few project parameters were identified on which the performance of the actuator depends. Through a complete simulation campaign using the finite element model, an abacus was constructed. It allows sizing the actuator as required based on the desired performances according to an established procedure.

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Wang, Hu, Hongwei Yan, Haodong Wang, Zhong Yang, Zhiguang Ni, and Zhe Li. "Study on static characteristics of pneumatic muscles." MATEC Web of Conferences 232 (2018): 04071. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201823204071.

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In this paper, the static characteristics of pneumatic muscles are studied by means of theoretical modelling, numerical simulation and experimental verification. Firstly, on the basis of ideal mathematical model, the static mathematical model of pneumatic muscle considering elasticity and friction of rubber is given. Based on the established mathematical model, a pneumatic muscle simulation model is established by using SIMULINK toolbox in MATLAB software environment, which includes model parameter assignment module, pneumatic muscle ideal module, elastic force simulation module, friction simulation module and so on. The influence of elastic force and frictional force of rubber layer on the output force of pneumatic muscle during pneumatic filling is studied by numerical simulation. Finally, a mechanical gripper test rig driven by pneumatic muscle is built. The experimental results show that pneumatic muscle actuator has certain flexible grasping characteristics. The research results provide a reference for the wide application of pneumatic muscle.

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Kojima, Akihiro, Manabu Okui, and Taro Nakamura. "Development of Soft Pneumatic Actuators Using High-Strain Elastic Materials with Stress Anisotropy of Short Fibers." Proceedings 64, no. 1 (November 22, 2020): 41. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/iecat2020-08526.

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In recent years, soft robots, such as those with high human affinity and those that excellently imitate the movements of natural creatures, have gained considerable attention. In soft robots, structurally flexible soft actuators need to be used, not conventional motors or hydraulic/pneumatic cylinders. Various types of soft actuators have been developed depending on the driving principle. A pneumatic rubber artificial muscle is a kind of soft actuator that acquires power through injection of a working fluid, such as air, into an elastic structure, such as rubber. In this study, the authors developed an actuator, namely, the straight-fiber-type artificial muscle, which exhibits excellent contraction characteristics. This artificial muscle consists of a rubber tube that contains reinforcing fibers arranged in the axial direction. When air pressure is applied to the rubber tube, the artificial muscle expands only in the radial direction and contracts in the axial direction due to the restraining effect of the reinforcing fiber. While this artificial muscle exhibits excellent contraction properties, it has some drawbacks. One is the difficulty in enclosing the reinforced fibers that have accumulated in the rubber tube, making this artificial muscle difficult to manufacture. In this study, we investigated short-fiber-reinforced artificial muscles that can be easily manufactured. First, a short-fiber-reinforced rubber was prepared, and anisotropy was evaluated via a tensile test. Then, the short-fiber-reinforced artificial muscles were prepared, and their contractions rates were evaluated. The results confirmed that a short-fiber-reinforced rubber can be useful for the manufacture of artificial muscles.

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Mohamed, Mohd Firdaus, Asyikin Sasha Mohd Hanif, and Ahmad Athif Faudzi. "Segmentation of a Soft Body and its Bending Performance using Thin McKibben Muscle." International Journal of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering 17, no. 1 (March 30, 2020): 7533–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.15282/ijame.17.1.2020.02.0557.

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In recent years, soft actuator has been extensively developed in robotic research. This type of robot is expected to work with human with its flexible and adaptable advantage. The actuator material is soft, light, safe and high compliant. Due to these factors, soft McKibben is of interest as an actuator for this research for bending application. This paper introduces a variant bending analysis of a soft body manipulated using soft McKibben actuators. A series of 1.80 mm width with the length of 120.0 mm McKibben actuator is used to control the bending motion. The design consists of four McKibben actuators arranged in parallel and compacted in a soft body. The bending behavior was evaluated using an experimental test with a variety of pneumatic input pressure and length section on the actuator. The experiment showed that the bending angle was influenced by the segmentation length of the actuator, where the segmentation length and increased input pressure also allow more bending on the actuator. The actuator with lot of section gave more bending response compared to the actuator with lesser section. With the performance exhibited from this study, McKibben actuator can be applied in a wider use for continuum manipulator.

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Noritsugu, Toshiro, Masahiro Takaiwa, and Daisuke Sasaki. "Development of Power Assist Wear Using Pneumatic Rubber Artificial Muscles." Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics 21, no. 5 (October 20, 2009): 607–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jrm.2009.p0607.

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In the future, when the average age of the members of society becomes advanced, an innovative technology to assist the activities of daily living of elderly and disabled people and to assist in the heavy work in nursing will be desired. To develop such a technology, an actuator that is safe and user-friendly is required. It should be small, lightweight, and sufficiently soft. Such an actuator is available in artificial muscle made of pneumatic rubber. We have developed some types of pneumatic rubber artificial muscles and applied them to wearable power assist devices. A wearable power assist device is fitted to the human body to assist the power of muscles that support the activities of daily living, rehabilitation, training, and so on. In this paper, some types of pneumatic rubber artificial muscles developed and manufactured in our laboratory are presented. Furthermore, two kinds of wearable power assist devices driven by the rubber artificial muscles are described. Finally, some evaluations clarify the effectiveness of pneumatic rubber artificial muscle for innovative human assistance technologies.

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Kato, Tomonori, Kenya Higashijima, Yusuke Kuradome, Kohei Noguchi, and Manabu Ono. "Improvement of dynamic characteristics of manipulator driven by a gas-liquid phase-change actuator using an antagonistic drive." MATEC Web of Conferences 192 (2018): 02015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819202015.

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The goal of this research is to improve the dynamic characteristics of a manipulator composed of pneumatic artificial rubber muscles driven by gas-liquid phase change. Pneumatic actuators, such as pneumatic artificial rubber muscle (PARM) or rubber bellows, have been widely used in many industrial and research fields. They have merits of being compact and lightweight. However, the large size of the compressor driving the actuator is a problem. To overcome this, the authors researched soft actuators driven by the gas-liquid phase change (GLPC) of fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon (C5F11NO) is a substance with a relatively low boiling point (50 °C) and a low heat of evaporation (104.65 kJ/kg). The heat of evaporation of water is 2260 kJ/kg. This paper presents the overview of an actuator driven by GLPC. Then, fabrication of a manipulator using the GLPC driven PARM, and details of experiments conducted to determine manipulator characteristics are given. To improve the dynamic characteristics of the manipulator, a force control method using the antagonistic drive of two PARMs is proposed, and experiments are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

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Balara, Milan, and Maria Tothova. "TORQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF ROTARY PNEUMATIC MUSCLE ACTUATOR." MM Science Journal 2016, no. 03 (September 7, 2016): 1021–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.17973/mmsj.2016_09_201673.

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Kulesza, Zbigniew. "Isotonic characteristics of a pneumatic muscle actuator." Advanced Robotics 28, no. 12 (June 4, 2014): 833–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01691864.2014.894941.

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Balara, Milan. "The Upgrade Methods of the Pneumatic Actuator Operation Ability." Applied Mechanics and Materials 308 (February 2013): 63–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.308.63.

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The article contains information about the function and basic properties of the actuator based on pneumatic artificial muscles. It describes the design method of control structure of such actuator and shows the configuration of the non-linear actuator together with non-linear (compensation) control unit. The second upgrading method is based on the other mechanical configuration of the actuator. The artificial muscle force is transmitted by free pulley and has the practically linear static characteristic. The resulting position servosystem with linearized overall static characteristics has favorable results and better operation abilities. They are presented by experimentally measured step responses.

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Mendoza, Mijaíl Jaén, Samuel Dutra Gollob, Diego Lavado, Bon Ho Brandon Koo, Segundo Cruz, Ellen T. Roche, and Emir A. Vela. "A Vacuum-Powered Artificial Muscle Designed for Infant Rehabilitation." Micromachines 12, no. 8 (August 16, 2021): 971. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/mi12080971.

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The majority of soft pneumatic actuators for rehabilitation exercises have been designed for adult users. Specifically, there is a paucity of soft rehabilitative devices designed for infants with upper and lower limb motor disabilities. We present a low-profile vacuum-powered artificial muscle (LP-VPAM) with dimensions suitable for infants. The actuator produced a maximum force of 26 N at vacuum pressures of −40 kPa. When implemented in an experimental model of an infant leg in an antagonistic-agonist configuration to measure resultant knee flexion, the actuator generated knee flexion angles of 43° and 61° in the prone and side-lying position, respectively.

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Antonelli, Michele G., Pierluigi Beomonte Zobel, Francesco Durante, and Terenziano Raparelli. "Numerical modelling and experimental validation of a McKibben pneumatic muscle actuator." Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 28, no. 19 (March 21, 2017): 2737–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389x17698245.

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The McKibben muscle belongs to the type of muscles known as braided muscles. It is made of an inner hyper-elastic tube, surrounded by a braided shell made of inextensible threads; both ends provide mechanical and pneumatic seal. A finite element model of a McKibben pneumatic muscle was built and experimentally validated. The model is based on characteristic parameters of McKibben muscles. It takes into account the non-linearity of the constitutive material of the inner tube. It does not simulate backslashes between the tube and the shell at rest condition, but it models threads and rubber that are always connected. However, it does not consider friction among threads. In order to build and to validate the proposed numerical model, an experimental prototype of the muscle was designed and built. Both isotonic and isometric tests were carried out. Same tests were simulated in the finite element environment. The model validation was performed by comparison between experimental and numerical results.

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Ning, Feng, Yingli Chang, and Jingze Wang. "Variable Stiffness Structures Utilizing Pneumatic Artificial Muscles." MATEC Web of Conferences 256 (2019): 01005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201925601005.

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Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) can offer excellent force-to-weight ratios and act as shape-changing actuator under injecting the actuation fluid into their bladders. PAMs could be easily utilized for morphing structures due to their millimeter-scale diameter. The pressurized PAM can serve not only as artificial muscle actuator which obtains contraction deformation capability but also as a spring system with variable stiffness. In this study, the stiffness behaviors of pressurized PAMs and a variable stiffness structure are investigated. By taking advantage of the designed PAMs which was conducted by the non- linear quasi-static model, significant changes in the spring stiffness can be achieved by air pressure control. A case study is presented to explore the potential behavior of a structure with circular permutation PAMs. The structure used in this case consists of sixteen PAMs with circular homogeneous distribution and a circular supporter with sixteen slide way runners. The stiffness of presented structure can vary flexibly in wide range through controlling the air pressure levels and slide deformation respectively.

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Vagaská, Alena. "Mathematical Description and Static Characteristics of the Spring Actuator with Pneumatic Artificial Muscle." Applied Mechanics and Materials 460 (November 2013): 65–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.460.65.

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The article is focused on the actuator with one pneumatic artificial muscle and spring which counteracts the tensile force of the artificial muscle. Such a solution requires only one inlet and one outlet electromechanical pneumatic valve. It is suitable for the synthesis of so-called low cost bioservosystems. The paper presents mathematical description and static characteristics of individual parts of the actuator and also characteristics of the all mechanism.

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Zhao, Xingwei, Bin Zi, and Lu Qian. "Design, analysis, and control of a cable-driven parallel platform with a pneumatic muscle active support." Robotica 35, no. 4 (October 19, 2015): 744–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0263574715000806.

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SUMMARYThe neck is an important part of the body that connects the head to the torso, supporting the weight and generating the movement of the head. In this paper, a cable-driven parallel platform with a pneumatic muscle active support (CPPPMS) is presented for imitating human necks, where cable actuators imitate neck muscles and a pneumatic muscle actuator imitates spinal muscles, respectively. Analyzing the stiffness of the mechanism is carried out based on screw theory, and this mechanism is optimized according to the stiffness characteristics. While taking the dynamics of the pneumatic muscle active support into consideration as well as the cable dynamics and the dynamics of the Up-platform, a dynamic modeling approach to the CPPPMS is established. In order to overcome the flexibility and uncertainties amid the dynamic model, a sliding mode controller is investigated for trajectory tracking, and the stability of the control system is verified by a Lyapunov function. Moreover, a PD controller is proposed for a comparative study. The results of the simulation indicate that the sliding mode controller is more effective than the PD controller for the CPPPMS, and the CPPPMS provides feasible performances for operations under the sliding mode control.

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Davis, S., and Darwin G. Caldwell. "Biologically inspired damage tolerance in braided pneumatic muscle actuators." Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures 23, no. 3 (September 25, 2011): 313–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1045389x11422106.

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As the operation of robotic systems moves away from solely manufacturing environments to arenas where they must operate alongside humans, so the essential characteristics of their design has transformed. A move from traditional robot designs to more inherently safe concepts is required. Studying biological systems to determine how they achieve safe interactions is one approach being used. This then seeks to mimic the ingredients that make this interaction safe in robotics systems. This is often achieved through softness both in terms of a soft fleshy external covering and through motor systems that introduce joint compliance for softer physical Human-Robot Interaction (pHRI). This has led to the development of new actuators with performance characteristics that at least on a macroscopic level try to emulate the function of organic muscle. One of the most promising among these is the pneumatic Muscle Actuator (pMA). However, as with organic muscle, these soft actuators are more susceptible to damage than many traditional actuators. Whilst organic muscle can regenerate and recover, artificial systems do not possess this ability. This article analyzes how organic muscle is able to operate even after extreme trauma and shows how functionally similar techniques can be used with pMAs.

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Si, Guang Ju, Ming Di Wang, and Kang Min Zhong. "Green Clamping Devices Based on Two-Step Orthogonal Toggle Force Amplifier Driven by Pneumatic Muscle." Key Engineering Materials 426-427 (January 2010): 413–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.426-427.413.

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As a new kind of flexible pneumatic actuator using clean compressed air as working medium, pneumatic muscle has many particular characteristics comparing with pneumatic cylinder. It can well accord with the development of green transmission technique. Combing pneumatic muscle with mechanical force amplifier is a practical and creative design method. According to this method, two kinds of green pneumatic clamping devices based on two-step orthogonal toggle force amplifier driven by pneumatic muscle are introduced. Their working principles and characteristic features are analyzed and corresponding mechanics calculating formulae are also given respectively.

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Nakamura, Taro. "Variable Stiffness Mechanism using Pneumatic Artificial Muscle Actuator." Journal of the Robotics Society of Japan 31, no. 6 (2013): 572–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.7210/jrsj.31.572.

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Mižáková, Jana, Ján Piteľ, and Mária Tóthová. "Pneumatic Artificial Muscle as Actuator in Mechatronic System." Applied Mechanics and Materials 460 (November 2013): 81–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.460.81.

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The paper describes basic characteristics of pneumatic artificial muscles (PAM) for using as actuator in mechatronic system. The previous parameters research of individually connected artificial muscles shows, that it is significantly nonlinear system with time delay. Availing these results, problem of using of static and dynamic characteristics of PAMs for control and modeling electropneumatic mechatronic systems based on the artificial muscles occurs. To solve this problems, the paper also deals with design of some models.

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Ahmad Sharbafi, Maziar, Hirofumi Shin, Guoping Zhao, Koh Hosoda, and Andre Seyfarth. "Electric-Pneumatic Actuator: A New Muscle for Locomotion." Actuators 6, no. 4 (October 25, 2017): 30. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/act6040030.

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Lin, Liu-Hsu, Jia-Yush Yen, and Fu-Cheng Wang. "ROBUST CONTROL FOR A PNEUMATIC MUSCLE ACTUATOR SYSTEM." Transactions of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering 37, no. 3 (September 2013): 581–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/tcsme-2013-0046.

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This paper presents the modeling and robust control of a pneumatic muscle actuator system. Due to the inherent nonlinear and time-varying characteristics of this system, it is difficult to achieve excellent performance using conventional control methods. Therefore, we apply identification techniques to model the system as linear transfer functions and regard the un-modeled dynamics as system uncertainties. Because H∞ robust control is well-known for its capability in dealing with system uncertainties, we then apply H∞ robust control strategies to guarantee system stability and performance for the system. From the experimental results, the proposed H∞ robust controller is deemed effective.

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Carbonell, Pablo, Zhong-Ping Jiang, and Daniel W. Repperger. "Nonlinear Control of a Pneumatic Muscle Actuator System." IFAC Proceedings Volumes 34, no. 6 (July 2001): 1129–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1474-6670(17)35335-1.

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Kreheľ, Radoslav, and Ľuboslav Straka. "Diagnostics of the Arm Actuator Position Using Incremental Measurement." Applied Mechanics and Materials 616 (August 2014): 77–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.616.77.

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Article discusses the diagnosis and control of the operation of artificial muscle with the ability to predict a steady state actuator arm. This can prevent disrepair and provides diagnostics dynamics shoulders. The article contains information about the function and basic properties of the actuator based on pneumatic artificial muscles. The article presents the measurement results of the response of the actuator arm displacement depending on the input pulse. This dependence enables artificial muscles to be better adjusted to the needs of a practical operation.

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Park, No-Cheol, Hyung-Wug Park, Hyun Seok Yang, and Young-Pil Park. "Robust Vibration/Force Control of a 2 D.O.F. Arm Having One Flexible Link with Artificial Pneumatic Actuators." Journal of Vibration and Control 8, no. 3 (March 2002): 405–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/107754602023708.

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A flexible link of a manipulator has an advantage over a rigid link in the sense that, not only is it light-weighted and thus can move fast using a small-sized actuator, but also that it is safer when it comes into contact with its environment, in particular with humans. However, the vibration due to the flexibility of the link makes it difficult to control the position of the end-point with precision, and when the link is in contact with its environment the problem becomes further complicated. On the other hand, if an actuator can deliver enough force while maintaining proper compliance, it would be advantageous for the sake of safety. An artificial pneumatic muscle-type actuator is an adequate choice in this case. However, the dynamic characteristics of this particular actuator possess strong nonlinearity and load-dependency, and thus a number of problems need to be resolved for its successful application as an actuator. In this work, the position and force control problem of a two-d.o.f. arm system having a flexible second link with artificial pneumatic muscle-type actuators is addressed. A composite controller design method is proposed in the framework of the singular perturbation method. Various robust control schemes are designed in order to meet with payload variation, parameter uncertainty, unmodelled vibration mode and actuator dynamics, both in the slow and the fast subsystems. Simulations and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the suggested composite control scheme.

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Hošovský, Alexander, Ján Piteľ, and Kamil Židek. "Enhanced Dynamic Model of Pneumatic Muscle Actuator with Elman Neural Network." Abstract and Applied Analysis 2015 (2015): 1–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/906126.

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To make effective use of model-based control system design techniques, one needs a good model which captures system’s dynamic properties in the range of interest. Here an analytical model of pneumatic muscle actuator with two pneumatic artificial muscles driving a rotational joint is developed. Use of analytical model makes it possible to retain the physical interpretation of the model and the model is validated using open-loop responses. Since it was considered important to design a robust controller based on this model, the effect of changed moment of inertia (as a representation of uncertain parameter) was taken into account and compared with nominal case. To improve the accuracy of the model, these effects are treated as a disturbance modeled using the recurrent (Elman) neural network. Recurrent neural network was preferred over feedforward type due to its better long-term prediction capabilities well suited for simulation use of the model. The results confirm that this method improves the model performance (tested for five of the measured variables: joint angle, muscle pressures, and muscle forces) while retaining its physical interpretation.

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Zhong, Jun, Jizhuang Fan, Yanhe Zhu, Jie Zhao, and Wenjie Zhai. "One Nonlinear PID Control to Improve the Control Performance of a Manipulator Actuated by a Pneumatic Muscle Actuator." Advances in Mechanical Engineering 6 (January 1, 2014): 172782. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/172782.

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Braided pneumatic muscle actuator shows highly nonlinear properties between displacements and forces, which are caused by nonlinearity of pneumatic system and nonlinearity of its geometric construction. In this paper, a new model based on Bouc-Wen differential equation is proposed to describe the hysteretic behavior caused by its structure. The hysteretic loop between contractile force and displacement is dissolved into linear component and hysteretic component. Relationship between pressure within muscle actuator and parameters of the proposed model is discussed. A single degree of freedom manipulator actuated by PMA is designed. On the basis of the proposed model, a novel cascade position controller is designed. Single neuron adaptive PID algorithm is adopted to cope with the nonlinearity and model uncertainties of the manipulator. The outer loop of the controller is to handle position tracking problem and the inner loop is to control pressure. The controller is applied to the manipulator and experiments are conducted. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.

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Gyeviki, János, József Sárosi, Antal Véha, and Péter Toman. "Sliding mode control of pam actuator in LabVIEW environment." Jelenkori Társadalmi és Gazdasági Folyamatok 5, no. 1-2 (January 1, 2010): 249–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.14232/jtgf.2010.1-2.249-253.

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As an important driver element, the pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM) is widely used in industrial applications for many automation purposes thanks to their variety of advantages. The design of a stable robust position controller for PAM is difficult since it is a very nonlinear time-variant controlled plant because of the compressibility of air, air mass flow rate through the valve, etc. The main contribution of this paper is a robust position control method based on sliding mode for pneumatic muscle actuator. Finally, it presents experimental results.

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Li, Fei, Yu Wang, He Ting Tong, and Ray P. S. Han. "Empirically-Sourced Mechanical Behaviors of Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for Compensation-Based Controls." Advanced Materials Research 186 (January 2011): 31–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.186.31.

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As a skeletal muscle-like actuator, PAM possesses many unique advantages. They include compliance and high power-to-weight ratio, which make it an ideal actuator for robotic and powered exoskeleton applications. But its flexible braided mesh shell and the compressibility of air make PAM much more difficult to model and control compared to traditional actuators. In this work, the mechanical properties of the McKibben PAM produced by Festo are examined, tested and discussed. The results demonstrate the muscle-like property of PAM and its strong non-linear and hysteresis behaviors. A simple law between the areas of the hysteresis and pressure is proposed, and the relationships of the areas of the hysteresis, external load and the continuous working time are studied. Further, changing the PAM length that is smaller than 0.4 mm may lead to the “crawl” phenomenon. Finally, the empirical results can be used in compensation-based controls of the hysteresis in the McKibben PAM.

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43

Fan, Wei. "Study on the control of single pneumatic muscle actuator." Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering (English Edition) 16, no. 04 (2003): 428. http://dx.doi.org/10.3901/cjme.2003.04.428.

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TSUJIUCHI, Nobutaka, Takayuki KOIZUMI, Hiroto KAN, Shinya NISHINO, Tatsuwo KUDAWARA, and Masanori HIRANO. "204 Modeling and Control of Pneumatic Artificial Muscle Actuator." Proceedings of Conference of Kansai Branch 2008.83 (2008): _2–4_. http://dx.doi.org/10.1299/jsmekansai.2008.83._2-4_.

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Escudero, A. Z., Ja Alvarez, and L. Leija. "Development and characterisation of electromechanical muscles for driving trans-humeral myoelectric prostheses." Prosthetics and Orthotics International 26, no. 3 (December 2002): 226–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03093640208726652.

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Recently, attempts have been made to construct actuators with similar behaviour to natural muscles. However the results have been inadequate for application to practical prostheses. For example, muscle wire, which has too low an efficiency to be powered by batteries and McKibben muscles which require two power supplies, one electric and one pneumatic. Electrochemical muscles are still in the development stage and cannot yet be used for prostheses. In this paper, a new electromechanical actuator is presented, which provides rectilinear movement and linear characteristics. This electromechanical actuator is based on a ball screw and rare earth magnet coreless motors. The system has been characterised and some of the most important results are that it produces a force of 167N while developing a velocity of 7×10-3m/s. The force developed is proportional to the current drained. Its efficiency is about 32%, its total mass 0.19kg and it is light and compact enough to be used in practical clinical prosthesis.

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Zhou, Ming Lian, Wen Guo Hou, and Shu Hui Xu. "Design and Analysis of Power Assist Elbow for EVA Spacesuit." Applied Mechanics and Materials 577 (July 2014): 395–400. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.577.395.

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Based on pneumatic artificial muscle actuator (PMA) technology, a power assist device for the elbow joint actuated by a pair of antagonist muscles was designed. Dynamic models of the power assist device were established, driving characteristics of the device were simulated. The results show that the PMA complies with the requirements of the device, and the device can compensate the resistance caused by the spacesuit and the inertia forces by motion. Hence the device will be a great help for astronauts EVA operation. The research is used as a foundation for future development of power assist spacesuit.

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Klute, Glenn K., and Blake Hannaford. "Accounting for Elastic Energy Storage in McKibben Artificial Muscle Actuators." Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control 122, no. 2 (December 15, 1998): 386–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/1.482478.

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The McKibben artificial muscle is a pneumatic actuator whose properties include a very high force to weight ratio. This characteristic makes it very attractive for a wide range of applications such as mobile robots and prosthetic appliances for the disabled. In this paper, we present a model that includes a nonlinear, Mooney–Rivlin mathematical description of the actuator’s internal bladder. Experimental results show that the model provides improvement in the ability to predict the actuator’s output force. However, a discrepancy between model and experiment, albeit smaller than previous models, still exists. A number of factors are identified that may be responsible for this discrepancy. [S0022-0434(00)00902-3]

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Mat Dzahir, Mohd Azuwan, and Shin-Ichiroh Yamamoto. "Design and Evaluation of the AIRGAIT Exoskeleton: Leg Orthosis Control for Assistive Gait Rehabilitation." Journal of Robotics 2013 (2013): 1–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/535106.

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This paper introduces the body weight support gait training system known as the AIRGAIT exoskeleton and delves into the design and evaluation of its leg orthosis control algorithm. The implementation of the mono- and biarticular pneumatic muscle actuators (PMAs) as the actuation system was initiated to generate more power and precisely control the leg orthosis. This research proposes a simple paradigm for controlling the mono- and bi-articular actuator movements cocontractively by introducing a cocontraction model. Three tests were performed. The first test involved control of the orthosis with monoarticular actuators alone without a subject (WO/S); the second involved control of the orthosis with mono- and bi-articular actuators tested WO/S; and the third test involved control of the orthosis with mono- and bi-articular actuators tested with a subject (W/S). Full body weight support (BWS) was implemented in this study during the test W/S as the load supported by the orthosis was at its maximum capacity. This assessment will optimize the control system strategy so that the system operates to its full capacity. The results revealed that the proposed control strategy was able to co-contractively actuate the mono- and bi-articular actuators simultaneously and increase stiffness at both hip and knee joints.

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Ferraresi, Carlo, Walter Franco, and Andrea Manuello Bertetto. "Flexible Pneumatic Actuators: A Comparison between The McKibben and the Straight Fibres Muscles." Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics 13, no. 1 (February 20, 2001): 56–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jrm.2001.p0056.

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The prototypes of a McKibben actuator and a straight fibre muscle are presented. Their experimental characteristics are shown. For both kind of typology a mathematical model, able to evaluate the traction force as a function of the contraction ratio and the supply pressure, has been developed, taking into account the geometrical dimensions of the muscles and the mechanical characteristics of the materials. The models have been validated experimentally. Finally, by means of such models, a comparison between the behaviour and performance of the two kinds of actuator has been carried out.

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Huh, Shin, Sang-Kyu Bae, Dong-Soo Kim, Wan-Doo Kim, and Sung-In Hong. "Performance Test and Finite Element Analysis of Pneumatic Muscle Actuator." Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A 30, no. 6 (June 1, 2006): 662–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.3795/ksme-a.2006.30.6.662.

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Journal articles on the topic 'Pneumatic muscle actuator'

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