Mechanical design optimization of a series elastic actuator considering the control performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-323
Author(s):  
Hanseung Woo ◽  
Kyoungchul Kong
Keyword(s):  
Design Method ◽  
Mechanical Impedance ◽  
Control Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Actuation Force ◽  
Series Elastic Actuator ◽  
Actuation System ◽  
Output Torque ◽  
Performance Indexes ◽  
Series Elastic

Purpose Actuators for human-interactive robot systems require transparency and guaranteed safety. An actuation system is called transparent when it is able to generate an actuation force as desired without any actuator dynamics. The requirements for the transparent actuation include high precision and large frequency bandwidth in actuation force generation, zero mechanical impedance and so on. In this paper, a compact rotary series elastic actuator (cRSEA) is designed considering the actuation transparency and the mechanical safety. Design/methodology/approach The mechanical parameters of a cRSEA are optimally selected for the controllability, the input and output torque transmissibility and the mechanical impedance by simulation study. A mechanical clutch that automatically disengages the transmission is devised such that the human is mechanically protected from an excessive actuation torque due to any possible controller malfunction or any external impact from a collision. The proposed cRSEA with a mechanical clutch is applied to develop a wearable robot for incomplete paraplegic patients. To verify torque tracking performance and disengagement of the mechanical clutch, experiments were conducted. Findings As the effects of the gear ratio, N1, on the four control performance indexes are conflicting, it should be carefully selected such that the controllability and the output torque transmissibility are maximized, while the disturbance torque transmissibility and the mechanical impedance are minimized. When the four control performance indexes were equally weighted, N1 was selected as 30. Experimental results showed that the designed cRSEA provided good control performances and the mechanical clutch worked properly. Originality/value It is important to design the actuator so as to maximize the control performance in accordance with its purpose. This paper presents the design guidelines for the SEA by introducing four control performance indexes and analyzing how the performance indexes vary according to the change of design parameter. From the viewpoint of practicality, a mechanical clutch design method that prevents excessive torque from being transmitted to the wearer and an analysis to solve the locking phenomenon when using a worm gear are presented, and a design method of SEA satisfying both control performance and practicality is presented.

scholarly journals Artificial Knee Joints Actuators with Energy Recovery Capabilities: A Comparison of Performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Alò ◽  
Francesco Bottiglione ◽  
Giacomo Mantriota
Keyword(s):  
Electric Motor ◽  
Energy Recovery ◽  
Peak Torque ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Wearable Robot ◽  
Series Elastic Actuator ◽  
Actuation System ◽  
Performance Indexes ◽  
Variable Transmission ◽  
Series Elastic

The human knee absorbs more energy than it expends in level ground walking. For this reason it would be useful if the actuation system of a wearable robot for lower limbs was able to recover energy thus improving portability. Presently, we recognize three promising technologies with energy recovery capabilities already available in the literature: the Series Elastic Actuator (SEA), the Clutchable Series Elastic Actuator (C-SEA), and the flywheel Infinitely Variable Transmission (F-IVT) actuator. In this paper, a simulation model based comparison of the performance of these actuators is presented. The focus is on two performance indexes: the energy consumed by the electric motor per gait and the peak torque/power requested to the electric motor. Both quantities are related to the portability of the device: the former affects the size of the batteries for a given desired range; the latter affects the size and the weight of the electric motor. The results show that, besides some well-explained limitations of the presented methodology, the C-SEA is the most energy efficient whereas the F-IVT allows cutting down the motor torque/peak power strongly. The analysis also leads to defining how it is possible to improve the F-IVT to achieve a reduction of the energy consumption.

Adaptive sliding mode observer–based integral sliding mode model-free torque control for elastomer series elastic actuator–based manipulator

2021 ◽  
pp. 095965182110647
Author(s):  
Yangchun Wei ◽  
Haoping Wang ◽  
Yang Tian
Keyword(s):  
Sliding Mode ◽  
Sliding Mode Observer ◽  
Torque Control ◽  
Terminal Sliding Mode ◽  
Series Elastic Actuator ◽  
Model Free ◽  
Output Torque ◽  
Nonsingular Terminal Sliding Mode ◽  
Model Free Control ◽  
Series Elastic

In this brief, an adaptive nonsingular terminal sliding mode observer–based adaptive integral terminal sliding mode model-free control is proposed for the trajectory tracking control of the output torque of elastomer series elastic actuator–based manipulator. Considering the tip load and its external disturbance, an elastomer series elastic actuator–based manipulator model is established. In order to realize the output torque tracking control of elastomer series elastic actuator–based manipulator, by using the characteristics of elastomer series elastic actuator, the output torque control is transformed into position control. Based on the idea of model-free control, an ultra-local model is applied to approximate the dynamic of the manipulator, and all the model information is considered as an unknown lumped disturbance. The adaptive nonsingular terminal sliding mode observer is designed to estimate the lumped disturbance, and the absolute value of the tracking error is introduced into the sliding surface to make the selection of parameters more flexible. Then, on the basis of adaptive nonsingular terminal sliding mode observer, the adaptive integral terminal sliding mode model-free control is proposed under model-free control framework. The design and analysis of both observer and controller do not rely on accurate model information. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is verified by simulation results.

Impedance control of a cable-driven SEA with mixed H2/H∞ synthesis

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ningbo Yu ◽  
Wulin Zou
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategy ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Impedance Control ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Control Input ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Series Elastic Actuator ◽  
Series Elastic

Purpose This paper aims to present an impedance control method with mixed H2/H∞ synthesis and relaxed passivity for a cable-driven series elastic actuator to be applied for physical human–robot interaction. Design/methodology/approach To shape the system’s impedance to match a desired dynamic model, the impedance control problem was reformulated into an impedance matching structure. The desired competing performance requirements as well as constraints from the physical system can be characterized with weighting functions for respective signals. Considering the frequency properties of human movements, the passivity constraint for stable human–robot interaction, which is required on the entire frequency spectrum and may bring conservative solutions, has been relaxed in such a way that it only restrains the low frequency band. Thus, impedance control became a mixed H2/H∞ synthesis problem, and a dynamic output feedback controller can be obtained. Findings The proposed impedance control strategy has been tested for various desired impedance with both simulation and experiments on the cable-driven series elastic actuator platform. The actual interaction torque tracked well the desired torque within the desired norm bounds, and the control input was regulated below the motor velocity limit. The closed loop system can guarantee relaxed passivity at low frequency. Both simulation and experimental results have validated the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed method. Originality/value This impedance control strategy with mixed H2/H∞ synthesis and relaxed passivity provides a novel, effective and less conservative method for physical human–robot interaction control.

An improved IDA-PBC method with link-side damping injection and online gravity compensation for series elastic actuator

2021 ◽  
pp. 095440622110084
Author(s):  
Jiexin Zhang ◽  
Pingyun Nie ◽  
Bo Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Position Control ◽  
Friction Compensation ◽  
Gravity Compensation ◽  
Control Performance ◽  
Residual Vibration ◽  
Series Elastic Actuator ◽  
In Series ◽  
Passivity Based Control ◽  
Two Degree Of Freedom ◽  
Series Elastic

Elastic elements in series elastic actuator (SEA) will cause residual vibration in position control. Incorporating link-side damping injection and friction compensation, we propose an improved interconnection and damping assignment passivity-based control (IDA-PBC+) method to suppress residual vibration. Damping on the motor side and link side can be adjusted simultaneously. In addition, the desired motor-side trajectory planning and online gravity compensation are also introduced to improve control performance and steady-state accuracy. The effectiveness of the proposed method in suppressing residual vibration is experimentally verified with a two-degree-of-freedom SEA device.

Continuous finite-time output torque control approach for series elastic actuator

2020 ◽  
Vol 139 ◽  
pp. 105853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Sun ◽  
Mingyang Li ◽  
Meng Wang ◽  
Wei Yin ◽  
Ning Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Finite Time ◽  
Torque Control ◽  
Control Approach ◽  
Series Elastic Actuator ◽  
Output Torque ◽  
Series Elastic

A dynamic vertical shading optimisation to improve view, visual comfort and operational energy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahdi Valitabar ◽  
Mohammadjavad Mahdavinejad ◽  
Henry Skates ◽  
Peiman Pilechiha
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Parametric Design ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Natural Light ◽  
Visual Comfort ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Operational Energy ◽  
Discomfort Glare ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to present a parametric design method to generate optimum adaptive facades regarding occupants' comfort and building energy criteria. According to the literature review, the following questions have arisen to address the research gaps: Is it possible to have the outside view throughout the whole year without discomfort glare by utilising adaptive solar facades (ASFs)? How can architects integrate both view quality and quantity into ASF design? What is the impact of dynamic vertical shading systems mounted on south facades on the outside view, occupants' visual comfort and operational energy? How can we evaluate the view quantity through multi-layer shading systems?Design/methodology/approachIn recent years, there is a surge in demand for fully glazed buildings, motivating both architects and scholars to explore novel ideas for designing adaptive solar facades. Nevertheless, the view performance of such systems has not been fully explored especially when it comes to the effect of dynamic vertical shading systems mounted on south facades. This fact clarifies the need to conduct more research in this field by taking into account the window view and natural light. Consequently, a simulation research is carried out to investigate the impact of a dynamic shading system with three vertical slats used on the south facade of a single office room located in Tehran, on both view quality and quantity, visual comfort and operational energy. The research attempts to reach a balance between the occupant's requirements and building energy criteria through a multi-objective optimisation. The distinctive feature of the proposed method is generating some optimum shading which could only cover the essential parts of the window area. It was detected from the simulation results that the usage of a dynamic vertical shading system with multi slats for south facades compared to common Venetian blinds can firstly, provide four times more view quantity. Secondly, the view quality is significantly improved through enabling occupants to enjoy the sky layer the entire year. Finally, twice more operational energy can be saved while more natural light can enter the indoor environment without glare. The final outcome of this research contributes toward designing high-performance adaptive solar facades.FindingsThis paper proposes a new metric to evaluate the view quantity through a multi-layer shading system. The proposed method makes it clear that the usage of dynamic vertical shading systems with multi-layers mounted on south facades can bring many benefits to both occupants and building energy criteria. The proposed method could (1) provide four times more view quantity; (2) improve view quality by enabling occupants to watch the sky layer throughout the whole year; (3) slash the operational energy by twice; (4) keep the daylight glare probability (DGP) value in the imperceptible range.Research limitations/implicationsThe research limitations that should be acknowledged are ignoring the impact of the adjacent building on sunlight reflection, which could cause discomfort glare issues. Another point regarding the limitations of the proposed optimisation method is the impact of vertical shading systems on users' visual interests. A field study ought to be conducted to determine which one could provide the more desirable outside view: a vertical or horizontal the view. Research on the view performance of ASFs, especially their impact on the quality of view, is sorely lacking.Originality/valueThis paper (1) analyses the performance of dynamic vertical shadings on south facades; (2) evaluates outside view through multi-layer shading systems; and (3) integrates both view quality and quantity into designing adaptive solar facades.

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