Pressurized artificial muscles

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 255-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiye Zhang ◽  
Michael Philen
Keyword(s):  
Sliding Mode ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Variable Stiffness ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Operational Life ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques ◽  
Mckibben Actuators ◽  
Flexible Matrix Composite

Pressurized artificial muscles are reviewed. These actuators consist of stiff reinforcing fibers surrounding an elastomeric bladder and operate using a pressurized internal fluid. The pressurized artificial muscles, known as McKibben actuators or flexible matrix composite actuators, can be applied to a wide array of applications, including prosthetics/orthotics, robots, morphing wing technologies, and variable stiffness structures. Analytical models for predicting the response behavior have used both virtual work methods and continuum mechanics. Various nonlinear control algorithms have been developed, including sliding mode control (SMC), adaptive control, neural networks, etc. In addition to traditional fluid-driving methods, innovative techniques such as chemical and electrical driving techniques are reviewed. With improved manufacturing techniques, the operational life of pressurized artificial muscles has been significantly extended, thus making them suitable for a vast range of potential applications.

scholarly journals An extended state observer-based full-order sliding mode control for robotic joint actuated by antagonistic pneumatic artificial muscles

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 172988142098603
Author(s):  
Daoxiong Gong ◽  
Mengyao Pei ◽  
Rui He ◽  
Jianjun Yu
Keyword(s):  
Sliding Mode Control ◽  
Sliding Mode ◽  
State Observer ◽  
Extended State Observer ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Extended State ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Mode Control ◽  
Physical Experiments ◽  
Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are expected to play an important role in endowing the advanced robot with the compliant manipulation, which is very important for a robot to coexist and cooperate with humans. However, the strong nonlinear characteristics of PAMs hinder its wide application in robots, and therefore, advanced control algorithms are urgently needed for making the best use of the advantages and bypassing the disadvantages of PAMs. In this article, we propose a full-order sliding mode control extended state observer (fSMC-ESO) algorithm that combines the ESO and the fSMC for a robotic joint actuated by a pair of antagonistic PAMs. The fSMC is employed to eliminate the chattering and to guarantee the finite-time convergence, and the ESO is adopted to observe both the total disturbance and the states of the robot system, so that we can inhibit the disturbance and compensate the nonlinearity efficiently. Both simulations and physical experiments are conducted to validate the proposed method. We suggest that the proposed method can be applied to the robotic systems actuated by PAMs and remarkably improve the performance of the robot system.

Actuation of fluidic flexible matrix composites in structural media

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Zhu ◽  
Christopher D Rahn ◽  
Charles E Bakis
Keyword(s):  
Matrix Material ◽  
Unit Cell ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Thin Wall ◽  
Matrix Composites ◽  
Soft Matrix ◽  
Structural Applications ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Flexible Matrix Composite ◽  
Free Strain

Fluidic flexible matrix composite (F2MC) tubes have been shown to provide actuation and stiffness change in applications that require isolated tubes or multiple tubes embedded in a soft matrix. Structural applications often require stiff and strong composites, however, so this article addresses the actuation performance of F2MC tubes embedded in structural media. Two analytical models are developed based on Lekhnitskii’s solutions for a homogeneous orthotropic cylinder with axial force and pressure loading. These unit cell models are cylindrical and bilayer with the inner layer being a thick-walled F2MC tube and the outer layer representing the surrounding rigid composite and are composed of either homogeneous epoxy or a second FMC layer made with stiffer matrix material. The models are validated using ABAQUS. Free strain and blocked force are calculated for a variety of unit cell designs. The analytical results show that actuation performance is generally reduced compared to that of an isolated F2MC tube due to the radial and longitudinal constraints imposed by the surrounding structural medium. The free strain is generally two orders of magnitude smaller for an F2MC tube in structural media, requiring higher actuation pressures for bilayer F2MC structures. The blocking force of F2MC in either epoxy or composite is roughly an order of magnitude smaller than that of an isolated F2MC tube. The analysis shows a great degree of tailorability in actuation properties, so that the F2MC tube can be designed to minimize these differences. Higher actuation performance is achieved, for example, with a thick-walled F2MC tube, as opposed to the thin wall that maximizes performance in an isolated F2MC tube.

Novel Behavior in Smart Polymeric Materials: Stress Memory and its Potential Applications

2016 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 93-99
Author(s):  
Jin Lian Hu ◽  
Harishkumar Narayana
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Shape Memory ◽  
Smart Materials ◽  
Shape Memory Polymers ◽  
Polymeric Materials ◽  
External Stimulus ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Recovery Stress ◽  
Stress Memory ◽  
Potential Applications

Materials, structures and systems, responsive to an external stimulus are smart and adaptive to our human demands. Among smart materials, polymers with shape memory effect are at the forefront of research leading to comprehensive publications and wide applications. In this paper, we extend the concept of shape memory polymers to stress memory ones, which have been discovered recently. Like shape memory, stress memory represents a phenomenon where the stress in a polymer can be programmed, stored and retrieved reversibly with an external stimulus such as temperature and magnetic field. Stress memory may be mistaken as the recovery stress which was studied quite broadly. Our further investigation also reveals that stress memory is quite different from recovery stress containing multi-components including elastic and viscoelastic forces in addition to possible memory stress. Stress memory could be used into applications such as sensors, pressure garments, massage devices, electronic skins and artificial muscles. The current revelation of stress memory potentials is emanated from an authentic application of memory fibres, films, and foams in the smart compression devices for the management of chronic and therapeutic disorders.

scholarly journals A Brief Review on Challenges in Design and Development of Nanorobots for Medical Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (21) ◽  
pp. 10385
Author(s):  
Gautham Giri ◽  
Yaser Maddahi ◽  
Kourosh Zareinia
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Data Transmission ◽  
Medical Applications ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Navigation Data ◽  
Innovative Idea ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Scale Down ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques

Robotics is a rapidly growing field, and the innovative idea to scale down the size of robots to the nanometer level has paved a new way of treating human health. Nanorobots have become the focus of many researchers aiming to explore their many potential applications in medicine. This paper focuses on manufacturing techniques involved in the fabrication of nanorobots and their associated challenges in terms of design architecture, sensors, actuators, powering, navigation, data transmission, followed by challenges in applications. In addition, an overview of various nanorobotic systems addresses different architectures of a nanorobot. Moreover, multiple medical applications, such as oncology, drug delivery, and surgery, are reviewed and summarized.

scholarly journals Flatness-Based Control of a Two Degrees-of-Freedom Platform With Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bou Saba ◽  
Paolo Massioni ◽  
Eric Bideaux ◽  
Xavier Brun
Keyword(s):  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Sliding Mode ◽  
Feedforward Control ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Open Loop ◽  
Control Technique ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Two Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are an interesting type of actuators as they provide high power-to-weight and power-to-volume ratio. However, their efficient use requires very accurate control methods taking into account their complex and nonlinear dynamics. This paper considers a two degrees-of-freedom platform whose attitude is determined by three pneumatic muscles controlled by servovalves. An overactuation is present as three muscles are controlled for only two degrees-of-freedom. The contribution of this work is twofold. First, whereas most of the literature approaches the control of systems of similar nature with sliding mode control, we show that the platform can be controlled with the flatness-based approach. This method is a nonlinear open-loop controller. In addition, this approach is model-based, and it can be applied thanks to the accurate models of the muscles, the platform and the servovalves, experimentally developed. In addition to the flatness-based controller, which is mainly a feedforward control, a proportional-integral (PI) controller is added in order to overcome the modeling errors and to improve the control robustness. Second, we solve the overactuation of the platform by an adequate choice for the range of the efforts applied by the muscles. In this paper, we recall the basics of this control technique and then show how it is applied to the proposed experimental platform. At the end of the paper, the proposed approach is compared to the most commonly used control method, and its effectiveness is shown by means of experimental results.

Computational Study of Reinforcement Mechanisms of Cuttlefish Bone Inspired Structure for 3D Printing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Bethers ◽  
Yang Yang
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Support Structures ◽  
Common Support ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques ◽  
Traditional Manufacturing

Abstract Cuttlebone, the internal shell structure of a cuttlefish, presents a unique labyrinthian wall-septa design that promotes high energy absorption, porosity, and damage tolerance. This structure offers us an inspiration for the design of lightweight and strong structures for potential applications in mechanical, aerospace and biomedical engineering. However, the complexity of the cuttlebones structural design makes its fabrication by traditional manufacturing techniques not feasible. The advances in additive manufacturing (3D printing) make highly complex structures like cuttlebone possible to manufacture. In this work, the authors sought to establish comparative data between cuttlebone structures and some common support structures used in additive manufacturing. The structures compared to cuttlebone in this work include the cubic, honeycomb and triangular support structures. This was accomplished by using CAD modeling and simulation software. This study found that the cuttlefish structures had higher average stress values than the others but similar average strain values. This leads to a higher modulus of elasticity for the cuttlebone structures. The data suggests that further research into cuttlebone structures could produce future designs that improve upon the current well-established additive manufacturing support structures. Further study will be performed for the 3D printing of cuttlebone inspired structures by using various types of materials, such as soft and rigid polymers, functional ceramics, composites, and metals.

Recent Advances in Polymer-Based Nanocomposites: A Brief Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Parida
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Properties ◽  
Polymer Nanocomposites ◽  
Polymer Matrix ◽  
Polymer Nanocomposite ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Nanosized Particles ◽  
Mechanical And Electrical Properties ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques ◽  
Host Polymer

: This presented review article is constructed to be an extensive source for polymer nanocomposite researchers covering the relation of structure with property, manufacturing techniques, and potential applications when a small number of nanosized particles are added to a host polymer matrix. The exceptional structural, mechanical, and electrical properties of polymer nanocomposites after the addition of inorganic solid nanoparticles are elucidated by the large surface area of doped nanoparticles that interact with host polymer matrices. Due to the generation of ideas, the conventional methods of preparation of polymer nanocomposites are made more interesting. Hence, this brief review presents a sketch of different synthesis techniques, characterization, applications, and safety concerns for polymer nanocomposites.

Evaluating the Applicability of Analytical Models for Silicone Tube Mckibben Actuators through Soft Computing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debadrata Sarkar ◽  
Shounak Dasgupta ◽  
Soumen Sen ◽  
Shibendu Shekhar Roy ◽  
Aman Arora
Keyword(s):  
Soft Computing ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Silicone Tube ◽  
Mckibben Actuators

scholarly journals Silk Polymers and Nanoparticles: A Powerful Combination for the Design of Versatile Biomaterials

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Belda Marín ◽  
Vincent Fitzpatrick ◽  
David L. Kaplan ◽  
Jessem Landoulsi ◽  
Erwann Guénin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Silk Fibroin ◽  
Textile Industry ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Digital Light Processing ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques ◽  
And Performance

Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural protein largely used in the textile industry but also in biomedicine, catalysis, and other materials applications. SF is biocompatible, biodegradable, and possesses high tensile strength. Moreover, it is a versatile compound that can be formed into different materials at the macro, micro- and nano-scales, such as nanofibers, nanoparticles, hydrogels, microspheres, and other formats. Silk can be further integrated into emerging and promising additive manufacturing techniques like bioprinting, stereolithography or digital light processing 3D printing. As such, the development of methodologies for the functionalization of silk materials provide added value. Inorganic nanoparticles (INPs) have interesting and unexpected properties differing from bulk materials. These properties include better catalysis efficiency (better surface/volume ratio and consequently decreased quantify of catalyst), antibacterial activity, fluorescence properties, and UV-radiation protection or superparamagnetic behavior depending on the metal used. Given the promising results and performance of INPs, their use in many different procedures has been growing. Therefore, combining the useful properties of silk fibroin materials with those from INPs is increasingly relevant in many applications. Two main methodologies have been used in the literature to form silk-based bionanocomposites: in situ synthesis of INPs in silk materials, or the addition of preformed INPs to silk materials. This work presents an overview of current silk nanocomposites developed by these two main methodologies. An evaluation of overall INP characteristics and their distribution within the material is presented for each approach. Finally, an outlook is provided about the potential applications of these resultant nanocomposite materials.

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