Design methodology of a novel variable stiffness actuator based on antagonistic-driven mechanism

This paper concerns the construction of a novel variable stiffness actuator with antagonistic-driven mechanism (ADM-VSA). The ADM-VSA consists of two cam mechanisms and two constant stiffness spring mechanisms establishing the antagonistic structure to eliminate the empty return journey. The former with symmetrical cam profiles are designed for the movement of actuator, while the latter are explored substituting traditional springs of generating compliance for compact structure. To obtain desired performance of the actuator, the design methodology is developed for constructing the ADM-VSA, integrating the constant stiffness spring mechanism design method from four-bar mechanism to multi-bar mechanism, the comprehensive optimization of cam profiles and sensitivity analysis of structural parameters. The comprehensive optimization is conducted with different-order Bezier splines considering the torque, stiffness, and energy by friction simultaneously. The sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the influence of structural errors on the performance of actuator, with new indexes decreasing the workload of calculation, and several guidelines for the design and manufacturing are achieved. Finally, a prototype is developed to verify the reliability of ADM-VSA and, further, proves the validity of proposed design methods.

[1]  Yumei Hu,et al.  Optimal Design of an Autotensioner in an Automotive Belt Drive System Via a Dynamic Adaptive PSO-GA , 2017 .

[2]  Nikolaos G. Tsagarakis,et al.  Design and characterization of a novel high-compliance spring for robots with soft joints , 2017, 2017 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM).

[3]  Nitish V. Thakor,et al.  Control design of a novel compliant actuator for rehabilitation robots , 2013 .

[4]  Nikolaos G. Tsagarakis,et al.  A new variable stiffness actuator (CompAct-VSA): Design and modelling , 2011, 2011 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[5]  Hyung-Soon Park,et al.  Shoulder, elbow and wrist stiffness in passive movement and their independent control in voluntary movement post stroke , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics.

[6]  Matteo Malosio,et al.  Principle of operation of RotWWC-VSA, a multi-turn rotational variable stiffness actuator , 2017 .

[7]  Gianluca Palli,et al.  Design of a Variable Stiffness Actuator Based on Flexures , 2011 .

[8]  Jianrong Tan,et al.  A Novel Design of Serial Variable Stiffness Actuator Based on an Archimedean Spiral Relocation Mechanism , 2018, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

[9]  Nikolaos G. Tsagarakis,et al.  A compact soft actuator unit for small scale human friendly robots , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[10]  Jun Yang,et al.  Density-Convex Model Based Robust Optimization to Key Components of Surgical Robot , 2013 .

[11]  Qi Yang,et al.  Multi-Objective Optimization of Parallel Tracking Mechanism Considering Parameter Uncertainty , 2018 .

[12]  Dongjun Hyun,et al.  Variable stiffness mechanism for human-friendly robots , 2010 .

[13]  Berno J. E. Misgeld,et al.  Design and control of a mechanical rotary variable impedance actuator , 2016 .

[14]  N. G. Tsagarakis,et al.  A Novel Intrinsically Energy Efficient Actuator With Adjustable Stiffness (AwAS) , 2013, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

[15]  James Yang,et al.  Grasping Force Optimization Approaches for Anthropomorphic Hands , 2018 .

[16]  E. Sanmiguel-Rojas,et al.  Design of cams with negative radius follower using Bézier curves , 2014 .

[17]  Kalyanmoy Deb,et al.  Introducing Robustness in Multi-Objective Optimization , 2006, Evolutionary Computation.

[18]  Zerui Wang,et al.  Design and control of a novel multi-state compliant safe joint for robotic surgery , 2015, 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA).

[19]  Rafael R. Torrealba,et al.  Design of cam shape for maximum stiffness variability on a novel compliant actuator using differential evolution , 2016 .

[20]  Oliver Eiberger,et al.  The DLR FSJ: Energy based design of a variable stiffness joint , 2011, 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[21]  N. Manning,et al.  The human arm kinematics and dynamics during daily activities - toward a 7 DOF upper limb powered exoskeleton , 2005, ICAR '05. Proceedings., 12th International Conference on Advanced Robotics, 2005..

[22]  Zerui Wang,et al.  Design of a Novel Compliant Safe Robot Joint With Multiple Working States , 2016, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

[23]  Pinhas Ben-Tzvi,et al.  Design and Optimization of a Five-Finger Haptic Glove Mechanism , 2015 .

[24]  Sungchul Kang,et al.  A Robot Joint With Variable Stiffness Using Leaf Springs , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

[25]  Antonio Bicchi,et al.  Design and Control of a Variable Stiffness Actuator for Safe and Fast Physical Human/Robot Interaction , 2005, Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[26]  Xiaoping Du,et al.  Robust Mechanism synthesis with random and interval variables , 2009 .

[27]  Giorgio Grioli,et al.  VSA-II: a novel prototype of variable stiffness actuator for safe and performing robots interacting with humans , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[28]  G. Hirzinger,et al.  A new variable stiffness design: Matching requirements of the next robot generation , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[29]  Shapour Azarm,et al.  Design Improvement by Sensitivity Analysis Under Interval Uncertainty Using Multi-Objective Optimization , 2010 .

[30]  Babak Dizangian,et al.  Ranked-Based Sensitivity Analysis for Size Optimization of Structures , 2015 .

[31]  Werner Friedl,et al.  Analysis and Synthesis of the Bidirectional Antagonistic Variable Stiffness Mechanism , 2015, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

[32]  Fumiya Iida,et al.  Improving Energy Efficiency of Hopping Locomotion by Using a Variable Stiffness Actuator , 2016, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

[33]  Elliott J. Rouse,et al.  The VSPA Foot: A Quasi-Passive Ankle-Foot Prosthesis With Continuously Variable Stiffness , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[34]  Manuel G. Catalano,et al.  Variable impedance actuators: A review , 2013, Robotics Auton. Syst..