Actuation for Agile Robots

A special issue of Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2018) | Viewed by 10479

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Humanoids & Human Centred Mechatronics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, Italy
Interests: compliant actuators; variable impedance mechanisms; force/torque sensors; dynamics and control; mechatronics; automation and robotics

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Guest Editor
Humanoids & Human Centred Mechatronics Lab, Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genoa, Italy
Interests: efficient actuation principles; optimal actuation design; optimal, predictive and energy based control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The improvements in the design and control of robotic systems achieved over the past few decades in terms of software/hardware development, result in the rapid functioning of robots in designed and structured environments, e.g., in industry. In contrast, the manipulation/locomotion agility of even the most dynamic robots, when operating in unstructured environments, is still many times lower than that of most biological systems, e.g., humans and animals. Such a deficiency results in the slow performance of robotic platforms in real-world scenarios, ranging from disaster-response cases to health-care and service tasks. It consequently leads to failure in fulfilling tasks, as it is often crucial for the robot to quickly respond/react to external interactions and disturbances. The progress in robot agility can, therefore, considerably influence the viable exploitation of robotics in all real-world applications demanding responsiveness and agility. To this end, it is necessary to utilize novel design and control approaches. The focus of this Special Issue is on the state-of-the-art of interdisciplinary topics required for novel actuator design and control, to allow for the development of agile robotic systems capable of executing dynamic motions and quickly responding to external/internal state changes.

Dr. Navvab Kashiri
Dr. Jörn Malzahn
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • novel drive topologies
  • bi-/multi-articulated drives
  • actuator transmission design
  • variable impedance actuators
  • passive parallel/series compliance
  • motor controllers/drivers
  • motor cooling systems
  • actuator thermal management
  • motor flux tuning
  • actuator motion/effort control

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

35 pages, 2661 KiB  
Review
On-Board Pneumatic Pressure Generation Methods for Soft Robotics Applications
by Momme Adami and Arthur Seibel
Actuators 2019, 8(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/act8010002 - 23 Dec 2018
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 9801
Abstract
The design and construction of a soft robot are challenging tasks on their own. When the robot is supposed to operate without a tether, it becomes even more demanding. While a tethered operation is sufficient for a stationary use, it is impractical for [...] Read more.
The design and construction of a soft robot are challenging tasks on their own. When the robot is supposed to operate without a tether, it becomes even more demanding. While a tethered operation is sufficient for a stationary use, it is impractical for wearable robots or performing tasks that demand a high mobility. Choosing and implementing an on-board pneumatic pressure source are particularly complex tasks. There are several different pressure generation methods to choose from, each with very different properties and ways of implementation. This review paper is written with the intention of informing about all pressure generation methods available in the field of soft robotics and providing an overview of the abilities and properties of each method. Nine different methods are described regarding their working principle, pressure generation behavior, energetic considerations, safety aspects, and suitability for soft robotics applications. All presented methods are evaluated in the most important categories for soft robotics pressure sources and compared to each other qualitatively and quantitatively as far as possible. The aim of the results presented is to simplify the choice of a suitable pressure generation method when designing an on-board pressure source for a soft robot. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Actuation for Agile Robots)
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