Fabrication and Characterization of Small-scale Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for a Bio-Inspired Robotic Hand

As full-scale pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are already known for their high workto-mass and force-to-volume ratios, research has been undertaken toward miniaturizing this actuator technology in order to develop small-scale PAMs that can be contained within the palm of a robotic hand to effect the desired movement of the robotic fingers. The first step in implementing these small-scale PAMs in a functional robotic manipulator was to design and characterize the miniature actuator. To that end, this paper presents the manufacturing process, experimental characterization, and analytical modeling of PAMs with millimeterscale diameters. First, a fabrication method was developed to consistently deliver low-cost, high-performance, miniature PAMs using commercially available materials. The quasi-static behavior of these PAMs was determined through experimentation on a single actuator with an active length of 39.16 mm (1.54 in) and a diameter of 4.13 mm (0.1625 in). Testing revealed the PAM’s full evolution of force with displacement over a broad spectrum of operating pressures, as well as the blocked force and free contraction capabilities at each pressure. This study also explores the nature of stress-softening in the PAM bladder, characterizing the change in actuator performance with increased use. Furthermore, this work compares the data from these experiments to two previously developed models for fullscale PAMs. With the inclusion of correction terms to account for physical phenomena encountered during testing, comparison between the models and the experimental results indicates that the improved models can accurately predict the behavior of these miniature PAMs below 4% contraction.

[1]  Dominiek Reynaerts,et al.  Fabrication and control of miniature McKibben actuators , 2011 .

[2]  Yijin Chen,et al.  Structural design and analysis of morphing skin embedded with pneumatic muscle fibers , 2011 .

[3]  Andreas Schulz,et al.  A Human-Like Robot Hand and Arm with Fluidic Muscles: Biologically Inspired Construction and Functionality , 2003, Embodied Artificial Intelligence.

[4]  Benjamin King Sutton Woods.  Pneumatic Artificial Muscle Driven Trailing Edge Flaps For Active Rotors , 2011 .

[5]  Anirban Chaudhuri,et al.  Design and testing of a high-specific work actuator using miniature pneumatic artificial muscles , 2012 .

[6]  Pierre Lopez,et al.  Modeling and control of McKibben artificial muscle robot actuators , 2000 .

[7]  Ching-Ping Chou,et al.  Static and dynamic characteristics of McKibben pneumatic artificial muscles , 1994, Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[8]  Randall D. Beer,et al.  A miniature hybrid robot propelled by legs , 2001, Proceedings 2001 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. Expanding the Societal Role of Robotics in the the Next Millennium (Cat. No.01CH37180).

[9]  Pierre Gilormini,et al.  Author manuscript, published in "European Polymer Journal (2009) 601-612" A review on the Mullins ’ effect , 2022 .

[10]  Nikolaos G. Tsagarakis,et al.  Improved modelling and assessment of pneumatic muscle actuators , 2000, Proceedings 2000 ICRA. Millennium Conference. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. Symposia Proceedings (Cat. No.00CH37065).

[11]  R. Rivlin.  Large Elastic Deformations of Isotropic Materials , 1997 .

[12]  Christine Rotinat-Libersa,et al.  Compact and Lightweight Hydraulic Actuation System for High Performance Millimeter Scale Robotic Applications: Modeling and Experiments , 2011 .

[13]  Norman M. Wereley,et al.  Experimental Characterization and Static Modeling of McKibben , 2012 .

[14]  Norman M. Wereley,et al.  Experimental Characterization and Static Modeling of McKibben Actuators , 2009 .

[15]  Kwang J. Kim,et al.  Experimental study of a metal hydride driven braided artificial pneumatic muscle , 2009 .

[16]  Hong Liu,et al.  DLR-Hand II: next generation of a dextrous robot hand , 2001, Proceedings 2001 ICRA. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.01CH37164).

[17]  D. W. Saunders,et al.  Large elastic deformations of isotropic materials VII. Experiments on the deformation of rubber , 1951, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

[18]  D. Inman,et al.  Static and dynamic characteristics of a piezoceramic strut , 1993 .

[19]  Chris Lovchik,et al.  The Robonaut hand: a dexterous robot hand for space , 1999, Proceedings 1999 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.99CH36288C).