Pneumatic muscle actuator technology: a light weight power system for a humanoid robot

This work reports on the construction of components for a humanoid robot powered by a new low mass, high power weight and volume actuation system, called the pneumatic muscle actuator (PMA). In addition to their power and force capabilities the PMA, being pneumatic, produces a more natural human muscle like contact and as such can be considered a soft actuation system with the inherent safety implication when working in close proximity to humans. The integration and testing of the performance of the component sections is also considered to show how these structures and actuators can be combined to produce the various systems needed for a low mass humanoid and the potential for future application in humanoid and other robotic fields.

[1]  Masayuki Inaba,et al.  A 35 DOF humanoid that can coordinate arms and legs in standing up, reaching and grasping an object , 1996, Proceedings of IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. IROS '96.

[2]  Frederick P. Brooks,et al.  Feeling and seeing: issues in force display , 1990, I3D '90.

[3]  H. F. Schulte The characteristics of the McKibben artificial muscle , 1961 .

[4]  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.

[5]  Rodney A. Brooks,et al.  Behavior-based humanoid robotics , 1996, Proceedings of IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. IROS '96.

[6]  Darwin G. Caldwell Natural and artificial muscle elements as robot actuators , 1993 .

[7]  Hirochika Inoue,et al.  Whither robotics: key issues, approaches, and applications , 1996, Proceedings of IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. IROS '96.

[8]  W. Walter A Machine that Learns , 1951 .

[9]  Stephen C. Jacobsen,et al.  Design of the Utah/M.I.T. Dextrous Hand , 1986, Proceedings. 1986 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[10]  Michael Brady,et al.  Artificial Intelligence and Robotics , 1985, Artif. Intell..

[11]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  Control of pneumatic muscle actuators , 1995 .

[12]  Darwin G. Caldwell,et al.  Characteristics and adaptive control of pneumatic muscle actuators for a robotic elbow , 1994, Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[13]  Ken Pimentel,et al.  Virtual reality - through the new looking glass , 1993 .

[14]  Masayuki Inaba,et al.  Vision-based adaptive and interactive behaviors in mechanical animals using the remote-brained approach , 1996, Robotics Auton. Syst..