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Rodriguez-Cianca D, Weckx M, Jimenez-Fabian R, Torricelli D, Gonzalez-Vargas J, Sanchez-Villamañan MC, Sartori M, Berns K, Vanderborght B, Pons JL, Lefeber D. A Variable Stiffness Actuator Module With Favorable Mass Distribution for a Bio-inspired Biped Robot. Front Neurorobot 2019; 13:20. [PMID: 31156418 PMCID: PMC6533922 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2019.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Achieving human-like locomotion with humanoid platforms often requires the use of variable stiffness actuators (VSAs) in multi-degree-of-freedom robotic joints. VSAs possess 2 motors for the control of both stiffness and equilibrium position. Hence, they add mass and mechanical complexity to the design of humanoids. Mass distribution of the legs is an important design parameter, because it can have detrimental effects on the cost of transport. This work presents a novel VSA module, designed to be implemented in a bio-inspired humanoid robot, Binocchio, that houses all components on the same side of the actuated joint. This feature allowed to place the actuator's mass to more proximal locations with respect to the actuated joint instead of concentrating it at the joint level, creating a more favorable mass distribution in the humanoid. Besides, it also facilitated it's usage in joints with centralized multi-degree of freedom (DoF) joints instead of cascading single DoF modules. The design of the VSA module is presented, including it's integration in the multi-DoFs joints of Binocchio. Experiments validated the static characteristics of the VSA module to accurately estimate the output torque and stiffness. The dynamic responses of the driving and stiffening mechanisms are shown. Finally, experiments show the ability of the actuation system to replicate the envisioned human-like kinematic, torque and stiffness profiles for Binocchio.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Rodriguez-Cianca
- Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium.,Cajal Institute, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maarten Weckx
- Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rene Jimenez-Fabian
- Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Diego Torricelli
- Cajal Institute, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Gonzalez-Vargas
- Cajal Institute, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Ottobock GmbH, Duderstadt, Germany
| | | | - Massimo Sartori
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Karsten Berns
- Robotics Research Lab, University Kaiserslautern, Kaiserlslautern, Germany
| | - Bram Vanderborght
- Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - J Luis Pons
- Cajal Institute, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Dirk Lefeber
- Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
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Flynn L, Geeroms J, Jimenez-Fabian R, Heins S, Vanderborght B, Munih M, Molino Lova R, Vitiello N, Lefeber D. The Challenges and Achievements of Experimental Implementation of an Active Transfemoral Prosthesis Based on Biological Quasi-Stiffness: The CYBERLEGs Beta-Prosthesis. Front Neurorobot 2018; 12:80. [PMID: 30564111 PMCID: PMC6289037 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2018.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The CYBERLEGs Beta-Prosthesis is an active transfemoral prosthesis that can provide the full torque required for reproducing average level ground walking at both the knee and ankle in the sagittal plane. The prosthesis attempts to produce a natural level ground walking gait that approximates the joint torques and kinematics of a non-amputee while maintaining passively compliant joints, the stiffnesses of which were derived from biological quasi-stiffness measurements. The ankle of the prosthesis consists of a series elastic actuator with a parallel spring and the knee is composed of three different systems that must compliment each other to generate the correct joint behavior: a series elastic actuator, a lockable parallel spring and an energy transfer mechanism. Bench testing of this new prosthesis was completed and demonstrated that the device was able to create the expected torque-angle characteristics for a normal walker under ideal conditions. The experimental trials with four amputees walking on a treadmill to validate the behavior of the prosthesis proved that although the prosthesis could be controlled in a way that allowed all subjects to walk, the accurate timing and kinematic requirements of the output of the device limited the efficacy of using springs with quasi-static stiffnesses. Modification of the control and stiffness of the series springs could provide better performance in future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Flynn
- Department of Robotics and Multibody Mechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joost Geeroms
- Department of Robotics and Multibody Mechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rene Jimenez-Fabian
- Department of Robotics and Multibody Mechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sophie Heins
- Center for Research in Mechatronics, Institute of Mechanics, Materials, and Civil Engineering, Institute of Neuroscience, and Louvain Bionics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Bram Vanderborght
- Department of Robotics and Multibody Mechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marko Munih
- Robolab, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Nicola Vitiello
- Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Milan, Italy.,The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Dirk Lefeber
- Department of Robotics and Multibody Mechanics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
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Geeroms J, Flynn L, Jimenez-Fabian R, Vanderborght B, Lefeber D. Energetic analysis and optimization of a MACCEPA actuator in an ankle prosthesis. Auton Robots 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10514-017-9641-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Geeroms J, Flynn L, Jimenez-Fabian R, Vanderborght B, Lefeber D. Design and energetic evaluation of a prosthetic knee joint actuator with a lockable parallel spring. Bioinspir Biomim 2017; 12:026002. [PMID: 28059775 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa575c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
There are disadvantages to existing damping knee prostheses which cause an asymmetric gait and higher metabolic cost during level walking compared to non-amputees. Most existing active knee prostheses which could benefit the amputees use a significant amount of energy and require a considerable motor. In this work, a novel semi-active actuator with a lockable parallel spring for a prosthetic knee joint has been developed and tested. This actuator is able to provide an approximation of the behavior of a healthy knee during most of the gait cycle of level walking. This actuator is expanded with a series-elastic actuator to mimic the full gait cycle and enable its use in other functional tasks like stair climbing and sit-to-stance. The proposed novel actuator reduces the energy consumption for the same trajectory with respect to a compliant or directly-driven prosthetic active knee joint and improves the approximation of healthy knee behavior during level walking compared to passive or variable damping knee prostheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Geeroms
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Flanders Make, Strategic Research Centre Manufacturing Industry, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Geeroms J, Flynn L, Jimenez-Fabian R, Vanderborght B, Lefeber D. Ankle-Knee prosthesis with powered ankle and energy transfer for CYBERLEGs α-prototype. IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot 2013; 2013:6650352. [PMID: 24187171 DOI: 10.1109/icorr.2013.6650352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Restoring natural walking for amputees has been increasingly investigated because of demographic evolution, leading to increased number of amputations, and increasing demand for independence. The energetic disadvantages of passive pros-theses are clear, and active prostheses are limited in autonomy. This paper presents the simulation, design and development of an actuated knee-ankle prosthesis based on a variable stiffness actuator with energy transfer from the knee to the ankle. This approach allows a good approximation of the joint torques and the kinematics of the human gait cycle while maintaining compliant joints and reducing energy consumption during level walking. This first prototype consists of a passive knee and an active ankle, which are energetically coupled to reduce the power consumption.
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