Research

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16 pages, 5072 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Preliminary Virtual Study on the Feasibility of Transferring Muscular Activation Pattern Behaviors of Psychomotor Exercises

by Fabio Rossi, Álvaro González Mejía, Danilo Demarchi, Paolo Fiorini and Giovanni Gerardo Muscolo

Actuators 2023, 12(7), 294; https://doi.org/10.3390/act12070294 - 19 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1247

Abstract

Research has demonstrated that Taekwondo training helps to enhance the coordination capabilities in people with developmental coordination disorders. These excellent results depend on many factors, including the behavior of the muscular activation patterns of psychomotor exercises during Taekwondo training. Our basic idea is [...] Read more.

Research has demonstrated that Taekwondo training helps to enhance the coordination capabilities in people with developmental coordination disorders. These excellent results depend on many factors, including the behavior of the muscular activation patterns of psychomotor exercises during Taekwondo training. Our basic idea is to study the behavior of the muscular activation pattern of Taekwondo training (performed by athletes) and to apply the adapted behavior of the muscular activation pattern to other subjects with reduced coordination capabilities to enhance them, in line with the sustainable human development goals. This paper presents a preliminary feasibility study and a first step in this direction using a virtual simulation. First, the Taekwondo front-kick exercise was studied and reproduced using a virtual human model in OpenSim. Second, some perturbations were applied to the virtual human model to analyze the behavior of the muscular activation patterns. Third, functional electrical stimulation (FES) patterns were properly simulated to reproduce the same sequence (and value) of signals of muscular activation in another subject. The proposed methodology was conceived on the basis of a simple example of a Taekwondo kick by using a virtual human model, but its general application can fit all kinds of psychomotor exercises. If future works confirm the simulation results presented in this paper with real implementation, the methodology proposed here could be applied every time human capabilities must be increased with or without sports training (e.g., remaining seated on a chair or lying on a bed). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Muscles for Biorobotics: Study, Application and Future Perspectives)

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19 pages, 9996 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Antagonistic Arrangement of Pneumatic Muscles Inspired by a Biological Model of the Human Arm

by Peter Tuleja, Rudolf Jánoš, Ján Semjon, Marek Sukop and Peter Marcinko

Actuators 2023, 12(5), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/act12050204 - 17 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1195

Abstract

Technical solutions based on biological models are the subject of research by a wide range of experts and mainly concern their mechanical use. When designing a suitable actuator, they use the physical methods of biological representatives, of which a large group consists of [...] Read more.

Technical solutions based on biological models are the subject of research by a wide range of experts and mainly concern their mechanical use. When designing a suitable actuator, they use the physical methods of biological representatives, of which a large group consists of actuators generally referred to as artificial muscles, while another group uses compressed air as an energy carrier. In order to perform the measurements described in this article, a test mechanism based on the opposing arrangement of a pair of pneumatic muscles was constructed. Measurements on the test mechanism were made at set constant pressures in the range of 0.4 MPa to 0.6 MPa, while at each pressure, measurements were made for the counterload range from 0 N to 107.87 N. The measured values were recorded using a microcontroller and subsequently processed into graphic outputs. As part of the measurements, a comparative measurement of the same opposite arrangement of a pair of linear double-acting pneumatic actuators with a single-sided piston rod was also performed. The experiment and measurements were carried out in order to determine the suitability of using pneumatic artificial muscles in the selected arrangement for the implementation of a mechanism imitating the human arm. The target parameters of the experiment were the reaction speed of the course of force when filling the muscle under load and the reaction of the mechanism to a change in the set pressure in the pneumatic system. The summary of the comparison of the measured results is the content of the discussion in this article. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Muscles for Biorobotics: Study, Application and Future Perspectives)

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14 pages, 3165 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Pneumatic Artificial Muscles and the Inelastic Braid Assumption

by Jonathan M. Chambers and Norman M. Wereley

Actuators 2022, 11(8), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/act11080219 - 04 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1626

Abstract

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are becoming an increasingly popular form of soft actuator due to their unique actuation characteristics. The creation of accurate PAM actuation models is important for their successful implementation. However, PAM studies often employ actuation models that use simplifying assumptions [...] Read more.

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are becoming an increasingly popular form of soft actuator due to their unique actuation characteristics. The creation of accurate PAM actuation models is important for their successful implementation. However, PAM studies often employ actuation models that use simplifying assumptions which make the models easier to formulate and use, but at the cost of reduced accuracy. One of the most commonly used assumptions, the inelastic braid assumption, suggests that the braid does not stretch, and therefore would not affect its geometry or actuation force. Although this assumption has often been cited as a likely source of model error, its use has persevered for decades due to researchers’ inability to directly measure the effects of braid elasticity. The recent development of a photogrammetric method to accurately measure PAM geometry now enables this analysis. This study seeks to assess the current default adoption of the inelastic braid assumption in PAM models by attempting to quantify the braid elasticity effects. This research finds that current models that use the inelastic braid assumption can underestimate PAM diameter by as much as 30%, and overestimate actuation force by as much as 70%. These results show that braid elasticity can have a substantial effect on the geometry and actuation force of PAMs, and demonstrates that the inelastic braid assumption may not be a suitable universal assumption for PAM modeling and analyses, especially when low-stiffness braid materials are used. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Muscles for Biorobotics: Study, Application and Future Perspectives)

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23 pages, 4226 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamics and Computed-Muscle-Force Control of a Planar Muscle-Driven Snake Robot

by Mahdi Haghshenas-Jaryani

Actuators 2022, 11(7), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/act11070194 - 16 Jul 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1926

Abstract

This paper presents the dynamic formulation of an artificial-muscle-driven and computed-muscle–force control for the planar locomotion of a snake robot. The snake robot uses a series of antagonistic pneumatic artificial muscles, assembled at the joints, to generate the locomotion. Kinematics of the artificial-muscle-driven [...] Read more.

This paper presents the dynamic formulation of an artificial-muscle-driven and computed-muscle–force control for the planar locomotion of a snake robot. The snake robot uses a series of antagonistic pneumatic artificial muscles, assembled at the joints, to generate the locomotion. Kinematics of the artificial-muscle-driven robot in the joint and Cartesian spaces was derived with respect to the muscles’ motion. The Lagrangian mechanics was employed for the formulation of the dynamic model of the robot and deriving the equations of motion. A model-based computed-muscle-force control was designed to track the desired paths/trajectories in Cartesian space. The feedback linearization method based on a change of coordinate was utilized to determine an equivalent linear (input-to-state) system. Then, a full state feedback control law was designed, which satisfies the stability and tracking problems. The performance of the dynamic model and the controller were successfully demonstrated in simulation studies for tracking a circle-shape path and a square-shape path with a constant linear velocity while generating the lateral undulation gait. The results indicate a low magnitude of tracking errors where the controlled muscle force are bounded to the actual pneumatic artificial muscle’s limitations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Muscles for Biorobotics: Study, Application and Future Perspectives)

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15 pages, 4351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling-Based EMG Signal (MBES) Classifier for Robotic Remote-Control Purposes

by Michele Gabrio Antonelli, Pierluigi Beomonte Zobel, Francesco Durante and Mohammad Zeer

Actuators 2022, 11(3), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/act11030065 - 22 Feb 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3343

Abstract

The fast-growing human–robot collaboration predicts that a human operator could command a robot without mechanical interface if effective communication channels are established. In noisy, vibrating and light sensitive environments, some sensors for detecting the human intention could find critical issues to be adopted. [...] Read more.

The fast-growing human–robot collaboration predicts that a human operator could command a robot without mechanical interface if effective communication channels are established. In noisy, vibrating and light sensitive environments, some sensors for detecting the human intention could find critical issues to be adopted. On the contrary, biological signals, as electromyographic (EMG) signals, seem to be more effective. In order to command a laboratory collaborative robot powered by McKibben pneumatic muscles, promising actuators for human–robot collaboration due to their inherent compliance and safety features have been researched, a novel modeling-based electromyographic signal (MBES) classifier has been developed. It is based on one EMG sensor, a Myotrac one, an Arduino Uno and a proper code, developed in the Matlab environment, that performs the EMG signal recognition. The classifier can recognize the EMG signals generated by three hand-finger movements, regardless of the amplitude and time duration of the signal and the muscular effort, relying on three mathematical models: exponential, fractional and Gaussian. These mathematical models have been selected so that they are the best fitting with the EMG signal curves. Each of them can be assigned a consent signal for performing the wanted pick-and-place task by the robot. An experimental activity was carried out to test and achieve the best performance of the classifier. The validated classifier was applied for controlling three pressure levels of a McKibben-type pneumatic muscle. Encouraging results suggest that the developed classifier can be a valid command interface for robotic purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Muscles for Biorobotics: Study, Application and Future Perspectives)

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Review

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26 pages, 4597 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Research on Soft Pneumatic Actuators in Italy: Design Solutions and Applications

by Maria Paterna, Carlo De Benedictis and Carlo Ferraresi

Actuators 2022, 11(11), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/act11110328 - 10 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3237

Abstract

Interest in soft actuators has increased enormously in the last 10 years. Thanks to their compliance and flexibility, they are suitable to be employed to actuate devices that must safely interact with humans or delicate objects or to actuate bio-inspired robots able to [...] Read more.

Interest in soft actuators has increased enormously in the last 10 years. Thanks to their compliance and flexibility, they are suitable to be employed to actuate devices that must safely interact with humans or delicate objects or to actuate bio-inspired robots able to move in hostile environments. This paper reviews the research on soft pneumatic actuators conducted in Italy, focusing on mechanical design, analytical modeling, and possible application. A classification based on the geometry is proposed, since a wide set of architectures and manufacturing solutions are available. This aspect is confirmed by the extent of scenarios in which researchers take advantage of such systems’ improved flexibility and functionality. Several applications regarding bio-robotics, bioengineering, wearable devices, and more are presented and discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Muscles for Biorobotics: Study, Application and Future Perspectives)

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53 pages, 71001 KiB

Open AccessReview

Soft Gloves: A Review on Recent Developments in Actuation, Sensing, Control and Applications

by Monica Tiboni and Cinzia Amici

Actuators 2022, 11(8), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/act11080232 - 10 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4864

Abstract

Interest in soft gloves, both robotic and haptic, has enormously grown over the past decade, due to their inherent compliance, which makes them particularly suitable for direct interaction with the human hand. Robotic soft gloves have been developed for hand rehabilitation, for ADLs [...] Read more.

Interest in soft gloves, both robotic and haptic, has enormously grown over the past decade, due to their inherent compliance, which makes them particularly suitable for direct interaction with the human hand. Robotic soft gloves have been developed for hand rehabilitation, for ADLs assistance, or sometimes for both. Haptic soft gloves may be applied in virtual reality (VR) applications or to give sensory feedback in combination with prostheses or to control robots. This paper presents an updated review of the state of the art of soft gloves, with a particular focus on actuation, sensing, and control, combined with a detailed analysis of the devices according to their application field. The review is organized on two levels: a prospective review allows the highlighting of the main trends in soft gloves development and applications, and an analytical review performs an in-depth analysis of the technical solutions developed and implemented in the revised scientific research. Additional minor evaluations integrate the analysis, such as a synthetic investigation of the main results in the clinical studies and trials referred in literature which involve soft gloves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Muscles for Biorobotics: Study, Application and Future Perspectives)

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56 pages, 5179 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biorobotics: An Overview of Recent Innovations in Artificial Muscles

by Matthew Craddock, Emmanuel Augustine, Sam Konerman and Minchul Shin

Actuators 2022, 11(6), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/act11060168 - 17 Jun 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6237

Abstract

In this overview of recent developments in the field of biorobotics we cover the developments in materials such as the use of polyester fabric being used as artificial skin and the start of whole new ways to actuate artificial muscles as a whole. [...] Read more.

In this overview of recent developments in the field of biorobotics we cover the developments in materials such as the use of polyester fabric being used as artificial skin and the start of whole new ways to actuate artificial muscles as a whole. In this, we discuss all of the relevant innovations from the fields of nano and microtechnology, as well as in the field of soft robotics to summarize what has been over the last 4 years and what could be improved for artificial muscles in the future. The goal of this paper will be to gain a better understanding of where the current field of biorobotics is at and what its current trends in manufacturing and its techniques are within the last several years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Muscles for Biorobotics: Study, Application and Future Perspectives)

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