BIPED ROBOT DESIGN WITH VARIABLE ANKLE STIFFNESS

Low-cost variable stiffness joint design using translational variable radius pulleys

Soft grippers in automation, particularly those with variable joint stiffness, offer promising possibilities for precise manipulation tasks. However, accurately predicting finger joint bending angles in this field poses significant challenges due to the soft and complex nature of the grippers, making modeling and angle prediction difficult. This paper presents the development of a predictive model for precisely controlling bending angles in multi-material printed soft grippers with variable stiffness, which are pivotal for delicate manipulation tasks in automation. In particular, we explore a cable-driven gripper design made of thermoplastic polyurethane and conductive polylactic acid materials, featuring integrated resistive joints for stiffness modulation through controlled Joule heating. A data-driven modeling approach, combining numerical modeling of the gripper and machine learning techniques, was employed for the development of the predictive model. We performed static structural simulations using ANSYS Workbench to measure bending angles under various conditions for developing datasets for model training. In this work, we evaluated several machine learning models such as linear regression, decision tree, and K-nearest neighbor regression models to predict the correlation between temperature, pull distance, and bending angle. The K-nearest neighbor regression model demonstrated the highest accuracy, with a mean absolute error of approximately 11%. These findings underline the importance of precise angle prediction models in enhancing the functionality and reliability of soft grippers, paving the way for their broader application in automation and robotics.

We propose a novel variable stiffness joint (VSJ) mechanism that achieves the desired stiffness by using elastic deformation of silicone rubber cushions (SRCs). This mechanism can absorb the forces from multiple direction by the flexibility of SRCs and guarantee high safety. To react adequately against unpredictable collision or to manipulate an unstable object skillfully, a joint should be designed to have a stiffness adjustment capability in a short time. The proposed mechanism adjusts stiffness by controlling the position of an elliptical cam that pushes or pulls the support wall of the SRCs to surround them. The elastic deformation of the SRCs can be restricted according to the degree of the surrounded region of the SRCs. As a result, we can control the joint stiffness easily. Furthermore, the rotation of the cam from 0 deg. to 90 deg. accomodates the entire range of stiffness;, as a result, we can expect a fast adjustment of the stiffness. In this paper, we describe in detail the mechanism and the theoretical model for the stiffness adjustment. Moreover fundamental performances on the stiffness range, adjustment speed, and movability of the joint are shown through several experiments, and the problems in actual use are discussed.

This paper presents a compact variable stiffness mechanism (VSM) with reconfigurability. The VSM is able to achieve variable stiffness in adjustable ranges, due to its reconfigurable design. The new VSM features with a compact and light weight structure, and can be used as a stand alone module, or integrated in wearable elbow exoskeletons and other transmissions. In the paper, mechanics models are developed for VSM to reveal the stiffness performance and torque-deflection characteristics. A prototype of VSM is constructed and static testing results validate the models. The proposed VSM is finally integrated in a wearable elbow exoskeleton.

The variable stiffness of robot joints plays an important role in improving the robot’s compliance, safety, and energy efficiency. In this paper, a novel type of variable stiffness joint based on a rack and pinion structure (VSJ-RP) is proposed. The structure and the variable stiffness principle of the joint are described in detail. The theoretical stiffness calculation and the dynamic model of the joint are established, and the correctness of the model is validated by simulation. The compliance, safety, energy storage, and release characteristics of the joint are validated by position, bearing capacity, hitting ball, and safety detection experiments, respectively. These experimental results show that the joint stiffness can be adjusted from 14.74 Nm/rad to 726.58 Nm/rad, and the overshoot of the position response is about 5.56–0.5%. The larger the stiffness of the joint, the faster the adjustment response, the smaller the fluctuation, and the more stable the operation are. The maximum output torque of the joint is about 20 Nm, and the torque difference between the minimum and the maximum stiffness of the joint is about 10%. The energy conversion efficiency of the joint is 17.56%~89.86%, and the deformation angle range is 2.66°~4.37°. These phenomena reflect the safety, energy storage, and release capacity of the joint. An effective exploration is performed regarding the miniaturization, safety, and energy utilization of robot variable stiffness joints.

Soft robots have advantages such as low weight and compact size compared to rigid robots. Variable stiffness is one of the key methods of improving the performance of a soft robot. The soft gripper grasps objects of various shapes or sizes based on the variable stiffness. In a previous study, we validated the variable stiffness mechanism where flexible and rigid segments were connected alternately in series. This paper presents a soft variable stiffness gripper that can be used to control the stiffness by pulling tendons. The soft gripper has three variable stiffness structures acting as fingers and the stiffness can be controlled using two motors by winding tendons. To understand the tendency of the stiffness variation and determine the design parameters, a compliant mechanism was developed using a pseudo-rigid-body model (PRBM). The experimental results show that the difference between the lowest and highest stiffness values of the fabricated variable stiffness gripper was 5.6 times the original. Similarly, the difference in the gripping weight was 19 times. Using the experimental results, the variable stiffness gripper can be designed and manufactured based on the required stiffness and used to grip various types of objects.

In this paper, we developed two knee assist exoskeletons with a variable stiffness mechanism. These exoskeletons support human knee torque through increasing the stiffness during stance phases and decreasing the stiffness during swing phases. We conducted experiments to evaluate the assist effects. In the experiment, we compared three conditions: the subject did not wear the exoskeleton, the subject wore the exoskeleton and the exoskeleton did not support torque of the subject, and the subject wore the exoskeleton and the exoskeleton supported torque of the subject. We measured metabolic energy of the all conditions. As a result, we verified that the variable stiffness exoskeleton reduce 13.4[%] of metabolic energy. We made an improved exoskeleton that is 1.2[kg] lighter than the old one, and has a variable stiffness mechanism using not a servomotor but an electromagnetic clutch. This mechanism can realize more quick stiffness adjustment and energy saving. We verified that this improved exoskeleton can adjust stiffness.

A wide-range variable stiffness mechanism for semi-active vibration systems

In this paper, a novel variable stiffness mechanism (VSM) based on specially designed S-springs made from shape memory alloy (SMA) is developed. Based on the stiffness model, by changing the state combination of the SMA S-springs with different thicknesses, the actuator's stiffness can be discretely adjusted online. The stiffness adjustment range of the actuator can be conveniently extended almost from 0 N/m to infinity by changing the preset spring angle manually offline without a complex mechanical mechanism or replacing any parts. A linear digital variable stiffness actuator (LDVSA) is also designed with the VSM. Some tests of the SMA S-springs, as well as the actuator's stiffness under different configurations, comparisons with other actuators and its trajectory tracking capacity are conducted to verify its design. Then, a dynamic model of the actuator is established and its bandwidth is analysed. Based on this, explosive experiments are designed and performed to explore the application potential of the actuator. Experimental results are provided to illustrate the explosive capacity and energy efficiency of the proposed design.

We propose a prototype of a Variable Stiffness Actuator (VSA) conceived with low cost as its first goal. This approach was scarcely covered in past literature. Many recent works introduced a large number of actuators with adjustable stiffness, optimized for a wide set of applications. They cover a broad range of design possibilities, but their availability is still limited to small quantities. This work presents the design and implementation of a modular servo-VSA multi-unit system, called VSA-CubeBot. It offers a customizable platform for the realization and test of variable stiffness robotic structures with many degrees of freedom. We present solutions relative to the variable stiffness mechanism, embedded electronics, mechanical and electrical interconnections. Characteristics, both theoretic and experimental, of the single actuator are reported and, finally, five units are interconnected to form a single arm, to give an example of the many possible applications of this modular VSA actuation unit.

Wearable robots, especially power suits to enhance human activity are one of most interesting topics. This study aims to develop a power suit installing a variable stiffness mechanism. In a previous study, we showed that the relation between impedance parameters of power suits and human performance, and verified the effectiveness of self impedance matching method using soft computing. In this paper, we conduct fundamental experiments in order to design a variable stiffness mechanism, which can tune the stiffness of joint mechanically. Experimental results show the effectiveness of variable stiffness for improving human performance and reducting muscle fatigue. Moreover, we try to design the variable stiffness mechanism, and to verify the effectiveness by simulation.

Configuration synthesis of variable stiffness mechanisms based on guide-bar mechanisms with length-adjustable links

The paper presents a control method to catch a moving object with a joint actuated by means of a variable stiffness actuator. The controller is designed such that the variable stiffness joint acts as a virtual damper that absorbs the kinetic energy of the moving object. The virtual damping and the output stiffness of the variable stiffness actuator are the control variables. To obtain a critically damped system, the damping coefficient is scheduled on both the output stiffness and the inertia of the system. Experiments on the rotational variable stiffness actuator vsaUT-II validate the control method.

Robots with elastic joints arouse an increasing interest in the robotics community. Especially, variable stiffness robots promise to be beneficial regarding robustness and task adaptability. However, the control of variable stiffness multijoint robots is challenging due to their highly nonlinear behavior. Here, we present a backstepping approach for tracking control of multijoint variable stiffness robots. To cope with the problem of noisy-state measurements and the need for higher order state derivatives, command filters are used. A stability proof of the complete control approach including filtering is given. Finally, the simulations and measurements on a variable stiffness joint and a multijoint variable stiffness robot validate the approach.

A novel variable stiffness mechanism (i.e., variable spring) based on the concept of tensegrity structures is presented. Variable springs have extensive applications in noise and vibration control. The proposed method builds upon the prestress stiffness in tensegrities, which occurs along infinitesimal mechanisms and is fully controllable through force control in the members. A criterion is given to select a suitable tensegrity structure and an infinitesimal mechanism to develop a variable spring. Also, a mathematical model is developed for the stiffness components in an n-gon tensegrity prism. The variable components of the stiffness are then utilized to create a translational or rotational variable spring. In order to elaborate on the feasibility of the concept, a case study is presented on the engine mount of a vehicle. Parameters of a possible design of a variable stiffness mount are given, and the characteristics are compared with those of a conventional passive mount. This is followed by a detailed discussion on the properties of such a variable spring and the effects of various parameters.