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Bai X, Xue Y, Xu Y, Shang J, Luo Z, Yang J. Bio-Inspired New Hydraulic Actuator Imitating the Human Muscles for Mobile Robots. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:923383. [PMID: 35832409 PMCID: PMC9271615 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.923383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Limited load capacity is the bottleneck for the practical application of mobile multi-joint legged robots. And improving the efficiency of the drive system is a key factor in improving the load capacity. To improve the efficiency of mobile robots, in this paper, a new kind of actuator that imitates the driving mechanism of human muscles is innovatively designed and validated through experiments. The proposed actuator consists of a single power source and multiple plunger pistons, and imitates the configuration of a human muscle, to improve the efficiency and load capacities. The design proposed here represents a new class of driving methods. The actuator selects the most appropriate combination of the effective areas of plunger pistons like the human muscles, to ensure that the maximal output force aligns with the load force. To validate that the new actuator can improve the efficiency of hydraulic systems of mobile robots, a robotic arm incorporating a prototype of the new actuator was designed. The proposed system was validated through a series of experiments. The experiments show that the bionic actuator can adjust the flow rate of the system input by adjusting the number and size of the motion units involved in the work, and with the change in load force, it changes the output force by recruiting different motion units, which indicates good controllability. The results reported herein reveal that the application of bionics to the design of robotic actuator can significantly improve the efficiency and overall performance of the robots, and this biomimetic approach can be applied to a variety of robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangjuan Bai
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Yong Xue
- Beijing Special Engineering Design Institution, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yong Xue, ; Jianzhong Shang,
| | - Yuze Xu
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Jianzhong Shang
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Yong Xue, ; Jianzhong Shang,
| | - Zirong Luo
- College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
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Badri-Spröwitz A, Aghamaleki Sarvestani A, Sitti M, Daley MA. BirdBot achieves energy-efficient gait with minimal control using avian-inspired leg clutching. Sci Robot 2022; 7:eabg4055. [PMID: 35294220 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abg4055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Designers of legged robots are challenged with creating mechanisms that allow energy-efficient locomotion with robust and minimalistic control. Sources of high energy costs in legged robots include the rapid loading and high forces required to support the robot's mass during stance and the rapid cycling of the leg's state between stance and swing phases. Here, we demonstrate an avian-inspired robot leg design, BirdBot, that challenges the reliance on rapid feedback control for joint coordination and replaces active control with intrinsic, mechanical coupling, reminiscent of a self-engaging and disengaging clutch. A spring tendon network rapidly switches the leg's slack segments into a loadable state at touchdown, distributes load among joints, enables rapid disengagement at toe-off through elastically stored energy, and coordinates swing leg flexion. A bistable joint mediates the spring tendon network's disengagement at the end of stance, powered by stance phase leg angle progression. We show reduced knee-flexing torque to a 10th of what is required for a nonclutching, parallel-elastic leg design with the same kinematics, whereas spring-based compliance extends the leg in stance phase. These mechanisms enable bipedal locomotion with four robot actuators under feedforward control, with high energy efficiency. The robot offers a physical model demonstration of an avian-inspired, multiarticular elastic coupling mechanism that can achieve self-stable, robust, and economic legged locomotion with simple control and no sensory feedback. The proposed design is scalable, allowing the design of large legged robots. BirdBot demonstrates a mechanism for self-engaging and disengaging parallel elastic legs that are contact-triggered by the foot's own lever-arm action.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Monica A Daley
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.,Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
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Energy-Efficient Bipedal Walking: From Single-Mass Model to Three-Mass Model. ROBOTICA 2021. [DOI: 10.1017/s0263574720001320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYThe work aims to realize energy-efficient bipedal walking by employing the three-mass inverted pendulum model (3MIPM) and compare its energy performance with linear inverted pendulum model (LIPM). To do this, a general optimal index on center of mass (CoM) acceleration is first derived for energetic cost evaluation. After defining the equivalent zero moment point (ZMP) motion, an unconstrained optimization approach for CoM generation is extended for 3MIPM, which can track different ZMP references and address the height variation as well. To make use of the allowable ZMP movement, a constrained optimization method is also employed, contributing to lower energetic cost. Simulation and hardware experiments on a humanoid robot demonstrate that the 3MIPM could achieve higher energy efficiency.
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Roozing W, Ren Z, Tsagarakis NG. An efficient leg with series–parallel and biarticular compliant actuation: design optimization, modeling, and control of the eLeg. Int J Rob Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/0278364919893762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We present the development, modeling, and control of a three-degree-of-freedom compliantly actuated leg called the eLeg, which employs both series- and parallel-elastic actuation as well as a bio-inspired biarticular tendon. The leg can be reconfigured to use three distinct actuation configurations, to directly compare with a state-of-the-art series-elastic actuation scheme. Critical actuation design parameters are derived through optimization. A rigorous modeling approach is presented using the concept of power flows, which are also used to demonstrate the ability to transfer mechanical power between ankle and knee joints using the biarticular tendon. The design principles and control strategies were verified both in simulation and experiment. Notably, the experimental data demonstrate significant improvements of 65–75% in electrical energy consumption compared with a state-of-the-art series-elastic actuator configuration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley Roozing
- Robotics and Mechatronics, University of Twente, The Netherlands
| | - Zeyu Ren
- Department of Advanced Robotics, (Fondazione) Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia,Genova, Italy
| | - Nikos G Tsagarakis
- Department of Advanced Robotics, (Fondazione) Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia,Genova, Italy
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van der Spaa LF, Wolfslag WJ, Wisse M. Unparameterized Optimization of the Spring Characteristic of Parallel Elastic Actuators. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2019. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2019.2893425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Kashiri N, Abate A, Abram SJ, Albu-Schaffer A, Clary PJ, Daley M, Faraji S, Furnemont R, Garabini M, Geyer H, Grabowski AM, Hurst J, Malzahn J, Mathijssen G, Remy D, Roozing W, Shahbazi M, Simha SN, Song JB, Smit-Anseeuw N, Stramigioli S, Vanderborght B, Yesilevskiy Y, Tsagarakis N. An Overview on Principles for Energy Efficient Robot Locomotion. Front Robot AI 2018; 5:129. [PMID: 33501007 PMCID: PMC7805619 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2018.00129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite enhancements in the development of robotic systems, the energy economy of today's robots lags far behind that of biological systems. This is in particular critical for untethered legged robot locomotion. To elucidate the current stage of energy efficiency in legged robotic systems, this paper provides an overview on recent advancements in development of such platforms. The covered different perspectives include actuation, leg structure, control and locomotion principles. We review various robotic actuators exploiting compliance in series and in parallel with the drive-train to permit energy recycling during locomotion. We discuss the importance of limb segmentation under efficiency aspects and with respect to design, dynamics analysis and control of legged robots. This paper also reviews a number of control approaches allowing for energy efficient locomotion of robots by exploiting the natural dynamics of the system, and by utilizing optimal control approaches targeting locomotion expenditure. To this end, a set of locomotion principles elaborating on models for energetics, dynamics, and of the systems is studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navvab Kashiri
- Humanoids and Human Centred Mechatronics Lab, Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Andy Abate
- Dynamic Robotics Laboratory, School of MIME, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Sabrina J. Abram
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Alin Albu-Schaffer
- Robotics and Mechatronics Center, German Aerospace Center, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
| | - Patrick J. Clary
- Dynamic Robotics Laboratory, School of MIME, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Monica Daley
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Salman Faraji
- Biorobotics Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Furnemont
- Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Manolo Garabini
- Centro di Ricerca “Enrico Piaggio”, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Hartmut Geyer
- Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Alena M. Grabowski
- Applied Biomechanics Lab, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Jonathan Hurst
- Dynamic Robotics Laboratory, School of MIME, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jorn Malzahn
- Humanoids and Human Centred Mechatronics Lab, Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Glenn Mathijssen
- Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - David Remy
- Robotics and Motion Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Wesley Roozing
- Humanoids and Human Centred Mechatronics Lab, Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Mohammad Shahbazi
- Humanoids and Human Centred Mechatronics Lab, Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Surabhi N. Simha
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Jae-Bok Song
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Nils Smit-Anseeuw
- Robotics and Motion Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | | | - Bram Vanderborght
- Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yevgeniy Yesilevskiy
- Robotics and Motion Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Nikos Tsagarakis
- Humanoids and Human Centred Mechatronics Lab, Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
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Saar KA, Giardina F, Iida F. Model-Free Design Optimization of a Hopping Robot and Its Comparison With a Human Designer. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2018. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2018.2795646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Roozing W. Modeling and Control of Adjustable Articulated Parallel Compliant Actuation Arrangements in Articulated Robots. Front Robot AI 2018; 5:4. [PMID: 33500891 PMCID: PMC7805614 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2018.00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable advances in robotic actuation technology have been made in recent years. Particularly the use of compliance has increased, both as series elastic elements as well as in parallel to the main actuation drives. This work focuses on the model formulation and control of compliant actuation structures including multiple branches and multiarticulation, and significantly contributes by proposing an elegant modular formulation that describes the energy exchange between the compliant elements and articulated multibody robot dynamics using the concept of power flows, and a single matrix that describes the entire actuation topology. Using this formulation, a novel gradient descent based control law is derived for torque control of compliant actuation structures with adjustable pretension, with proven convexity for arbitrary actuation topologies. Extensions toward handling unidirectionality of elastic elements and joint motion compensation are also presented. A simulation study is performed on a 3-DoF leg model, where series-elastic main drives are augmented by parallel elastic tendons with adjustable pretension. Two actuation topologies are considered, one of which includes a biarticulated tendon. The data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed modeling and control methods. Furthermore, it is shown the biarticulated topology provides significant benefits over the monoarticulated arrangement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley Roozing
- Department of Advanced Robotics, (Fondazione) Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
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Ortiz J, Poliero T, Cairoli G, Graf E, Caldwell DG. Energy Efficiency Analysis and Design Optimization of an Actuation System in a Soft Modular Lower Limb Exoskeleton. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2018. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2017.2768119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Mathijssen G, Furnémont R, Verstraten T, Espinoza C, Beckers S, Lefeber D, Vanderborght B. Study on electric energy consumed in intermittent series-parallel elastic actuators (iSPEA). BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2017; 12:036008. [PMID: 28287398 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa664d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
On compliant actuators, intermittent series-parallel elastic actuators (iSPEA) can reduce motor load by variable load cancellation through recruitment of parallel springs by a single motor. However, the potential to reduce electric energy consumed, compared to a traditional stiff driven joint has not yet been evaluated thoroughly both in simulations and experiments. We have developed a 1DOF MACCEPA-based iSPEA test bench with a self-closing intermittent mechanism. An iSPEA driven warehouse robot is used as a case study in simulation. A method to compare iSPEA and traditional actuators is proposed. This paper shows a match between our simulations and experimental results regarding electric energy consumed. Although the chosen gear ratio shows to be detrimental for both the stiff actuator and the iSPEA, the electric energy consumed by the iSPEA is about 25% to 67% of the stiff actuator, for a warehouse robot placing 3 objects on a shelf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenn Mathijssen
- Interdepartmental Research Centre E. Piaggio, Faculty of Engineering, University of Pisa, Italy. http://centropiaggio.unipi.it
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Geeroms J, Flynn L, Jimenez-Fabian R, Vanderborght B, Lefeber D. Design and energetic evaluation of a prosthetic knee joint actuator with a lockable parallel spring. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2017; 12:026002. [PMID: 28059775 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa575c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
There are disadvantages to existing damping knee prostheses which cause an asymmetric gait and higher metabolic cost during level walking compared to non-amputees. Most existing active knee prostheses which could benefit the amputees use a significant amount of energy and require a considerable motor. In this work, a novel semi-active actuator with a lockable parallel spring for a prosthetic knee joint has been developed and tested. This actuator is able to provide an approximation of the behavior of a healthy knee during most of the gait cycle of level walking. This actuator is expanded with a series-elastic actuator to mimic the full gait cycle and enable its use in other functional tasks like stair climbing and sit-to-stance. The proposed novel actuator reduces the energy consumption for the same trajectory with respect to a compliant or directly-driven prosthetic active knee joint and improves the approximation of healthy knee behavior during level walking compared to passive or variable damping knee prostheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Geeroms
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Flanders Make, Strategic Research Centre Manufacturing Industry, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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