Design and Analysis of a Linear Digital Variable Stiffness Actuator

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.

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

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.

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

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.

This paper presents a novel compliant differential (CD) Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator with improved performance compared to traditional SMA actuators. This actuator is composed of two antagonistic SMA wires and a mechanical joint coupled with a torsion spring. The torsion spring is employed to reduce the total stiffness of SMA actuator and improve the range of motion. The antagonistic wires increase the response time as one wire can be heated up while the other wire is still in the cooling process. Dynamic model of this actuator was established for control design. Experimental results proved that this new actuator can provide larger output range of motion and faster response speed than traditional SMA actuators under the same conditions. Sine wave tracking with 0.05 Hz, 0.08 Hz and 0.1 Hz were performed and our results demonstrated that this compliant actuator has good tracking performance under simple PID control.

Motors are nearly the sole constituents for actuation and driving applications, but there exist cases where their use proves to be impractical. Shape memory alloy (SMA), then revolutionized the actuator technology, thereby opening the door for new ideas and designs and with it what seemed unfeasible in the past have now become challenging. Many conventional actuators and sensors could be substituted with SMA, obtaining advantages in terms of reduction of weight, dimensions and its cost. SMAs are a group of metallic materials that revert to a predefined shape via phase transformation induced by a thermal procedure. Unlike metals that exhibit thermal expansion, SMA exhibits contraction when heated, which is larger by a hundredfold and exerts tremendous force for its small size. The focus of this work is to realize SMA wire as actuator which finds suitable applications (space, aerospace, biomechanics, etc.) where minimizing space, weight and cost are prime objectives. The accomplishments reported in this paper represent a significant development in the design of SMA actuator configurations for linear actuation. Report on design, fabrication and characterisation of the proposed system is presented. The design took advantage of converting the small linear displacement of the SMA wire into a large linear elastic motion under the influence of biasing element. From the results with control it is aspired that with further improvements on the design, the actuator can be utilized in enabling practical SMA technologies for potential robotic and commercial applications. © (2015) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

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.

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are smart materials exploited in many applications to build actuators with high power to mass ratio. Typical SMA drawbacks are: wires show poor stroke and excessive length, helical springs have limited mechanical bandwidth and high power consumption. This study is focused on the design of a large-scale linear SMA actuator conceived to maximize the stroke while limiting the overall size and the electric consumption. This result is achieved by adopting for the actuator a telescopic multi-stage architecture and using SMA helical springs with hollow cross section to power the stages. The hollow geometry leads to reduced axial size and mass of the actuator and to enhanced working frequency while the telescopic design confers to the actuator an indexable motion, with a number of different displacements being achieved through simple on-off control strategies. An analytical thermo-electro-mechanical model is developed to optimize the device. Output stroke and force are maximized while total size and power consumption are simultaneously minimized. Finally, the optimized actuator, showing good performance from all these points of view, is designed in detail.

Designing robotic systems capable of low-power operation, inherent to their compliant actuation, has been elusive in practical application. In this paper, we propose a physical measure to mathematically define mechanical designs that are suitable to realize stiffness modulation with low power cost. Using this measure, we present a mathematical formulation of an ideal variable stiffness mechanism unaffected by the external load during its operation. We then analyze several existing mechanisms from the literature to relate design features with analytical conditions inherent to low power stiffness modulation in practical designs. Through this analysis, we identify an approximate practical realization of an ideal actuator capable of stiffness modulation with inherently low power cost. Similar to a number of existing efficient variable stiffness mechanisms, this mechanism is able to hold a given stiffness setting with zero input force under no external load. However, unlike many other previously designed mechanisms, it enables infinite range stiffness modulation using finite control forces. A practical variable stiffness mechanism that is capable of infinite range stiffness modulation using finite control forces leads to lower power cost and reduced energy consumption.

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.

Variable stiffness mechanisms as Jamming Transition draw huge attention recently in Soft Robotics. This paper proposes a comprehensive design methodology for developing variable stiffness devices based on layer jamming. Starting from pre-existing modelling, we highlight the design parameters that should be considered, extracting them from literature and our direct experience with the phenomenon. Then we validated the methodology applying the design process to previous layer jamming cases presented in literature. The comparison between the results obtained from our methodology and those presented in the analyzed previous works highlights a good predictive capability, demonstrating that this methodology can be used as a valid tool to design variable stiffness devices based on layer jamming transition. Finally, in order to provide the scientific community with an easily usable tool to design variable stiffness structures based on layer jamming transition, we have elaborated a Matlab script that guides the user through the main design parameters implementing the proposed methodology in an interactive process.

Human lower limbs have particular flexibility. Both the efficiency of bipedal walking and the ability to protect actuators with low energy loss are worthy references for the design of bipedal robots. This paper proposes a design for a biped robot with joints of variable stiffness. The robot has three degrees of freedom in the sagittal plane in each leg. The hips and knees are driven directly by the motor, while the ankles are passive joints with adjustable stiffness. After a comprehensive investigation, a variable stiffness mechanism was introduced based on lever principles, and driven by a motor that can realize real-time adjustment. Simulations verified the necessity of variable stiffness joints in the robot. The variable stiffness joint can absorb the ground impact on each joint, reduce the energy loss of the motor, and improve the efficiency of movement.

A new variable stiffness suspension system based on a recent variable stiffness mechanism is proposed. The overall system is composed of the traditional passive suspension system augmented with a variable stiffness mechanism. The main idea is to improve suspension performance by varying stiffness in response to road disturbance. The system is analyzed using a quarter car model. The passive case shows much better performance in ride comfort over the tradition counterpart. Analysis of the invariant equation shows that the car body acceleration transfer function magnitude can be reduced at both the tire-hop and rattle space frequencies using the lever displacement transfer function thereby resulting in a better performance over the traditional passive suspension system. An H∞ controller is designed to correct for the performance degradation in the rattle space thereby providing the best trade-off between the ride comfort, suspension deflection and road holding.

PurposeThis paper aims to get rid of the traditional basic principle of using the motor as the variable stiffness drive source, simplify the structure of the exoskeleton and reduce the quality of the exoskeleton. This paper proposes to use shape memory alloys (SMA) as the variable stiffness drive source.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, SMA is used to construct the active variable stiffness unit, the Brinson constitutive model is used to establish a dynamic model to control the active variable stiffness unit and the above active variable stiffness unit is used to realize the force control function and construct a lightweight, variable stiffness knee exoskeleton.FindingsThe dynamic model constructed in this paper can preliminarily describe the phase transformation process of the active variable stiffness unit and realize the variable stiffness function of the knee exoskeleton. The variable stiffness exoskeleton can effectively reduce the driving error under the high-speed walking condition.Originality/valueThe contribution of this paper is to combine SMAs to construct an active variable stiffness unit, build a dynamic model for controlling the active variable stiffness unit and construct a lightweight, variable stiffness knee exoskeleton.