A Review and Comparison of Linear Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

Jamil, Babar; Oh, Namsoo; Lee, Jin-Gyu; Lee, Haneol; Rodrigue, Hugo

doi:10.1007/s40684-023-00531-6

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 97 publications

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“…In the humanoid robot head designed in this study, the driving force behind the mechanism is efficiently transmitted to the silicone skin through a rigid linkage drive and snap button connection to achieve a facial expression. Compared with the pneumatic bionic muscle drive [ 37 ], the use of a rigid linkage to transmit the driving force to the silicone skin enhances the response speed and load capacity. Compared with the rope drive [ 38 ], the use of a rigid linkage to transmit the driving force to the silicone skin avoids a phenomenon where the silicone skin relaxes and it improves the movement precision and transmission efficiency.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facial Expression Realization of Humanoid Robot Head and Strain-Based Anthropomorphic Evaluation of Robot Facial Expressions

Yan,

Song,

Zhou

et al. 2024

Biomimetics

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The facial expressions of humanoid robots play a crucial role in human–computer information interactions. However, there is a lack of quantitative evaluation methods for the anthropomorphism of robot facial expressions. In this study, we designed and manufactured a humanoid robot head that was capable of successfully realizing six basic facial expressions. The driving force behind the mechanism was efficiently transmitted to the silicone skin through a rigid linkage drive and snap button connection, which improves both the driving efficiency and the lifespan of the silicone skin. We used human facial expressions as a basis for simulating and acquiring the movement parameters. Subsequently, we designed a control system for the humanoid robot head in order to achieve these facial expressions. Moreover, we used a flexible vertical graphene sensor to measure strain on both the human face and the silicone skin of the humanoid robot head. We then proposed a method to evaluate the anthropomorphic degree of the robot’s facial expressions by using the difference rate of strain. The feasibility of this method was confirmed through experiments in facial expression recognition. The evaluation results indicated a high degree of anthropomorphism for the six basic facial expressions which were achieved by the humanoid robot head. Moreover, this study also investigates factors affecting the reproduction of expressions. Finally, the impulse was calculated based on the strain curves of the energy consumption of the humanoid robot head to complete different facial expressions. This offers a reference for fellow researchers when designing humanoid robot heads, based on energy consumption ratios. To conclude, this paper offers data references for optimizing the mechanisms and selecting the drive components of the humanoid robot head. This was realized by considering the anthropomorphic degree and energy consumption of each part. Additionally, a new method for evaluating robot facial expressions is proposed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facial Expression Realization of Humanoid Robot Head and Strain-Based Anthropomorphic Evaluation of Robot Facial Expressions

Yan,

Song,

Zhou

et al. 2024

Biomimetics

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“…Actuation through inflation is a widely employed strategy, often referred to as pneumatic and hydraulic actuators, which primarily depend on pressurized gas or liquid within flexible elastomers. [54][55][56][57] Fluid-driven elastomers include silicone elastomers, like polydimethylsiloxane, with hydraulic or pneumatic channels patterned into them, or inflatable rubber membranes with a braided sleeve to confine the actuation. [58][59][60] Not only are these actuators able to perform contraction and expansion by controlling fluidic mediums in confined spaces designed with inflatable materials, but they also offer diverse locomotion options varying the stiffness of flexible materials or creating multiple actuators in series.…”

Section: Fluid-driven Elastomersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multimodal Soft Robotic Actuation and Locomotion

Yao,

Kim,

Yin

et al. 2024

Advanced Materials

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Diverse and adaptable modes of complex motion observed at different scales in living creatures are challenging to reproduce in robotic systems. Achieving dexterous movement in conventional robots can be difficult due to the many limitations of applying rigid materials. Robots based on soft materials are inherently deformable, compliant, adaptable, and adjustable, making soft robotics conducive to creating machines with complicated actuation and motion gaits. This review examines the mechanisms and modalities of actuation deformation in materials that respond to various stimuli. Then, strategies based on composite materials are considered to build toward actuators that combine multiple actuation modes for sophisticated movements. Examples across literature illustrate the development of soft actuators as free‐moving, entirely soft‐bodied robots with multiple locomotion gaits via careful manipulation of external stimuli. We further highlight how the application of soft functional materials into robots with rigid components further enhances their locomotive abilities. Finally, taking advantage of the shape‐morphing properties of soft materials, reconfigurable soft robots have shown the capacity for adaptive gaits that enable transition across environments with different locomotive modes for optimal efficiency. Overall, soft materials enable varied multimodal motion in actuators and robots, positioning soft robotics to make real‐world applications for intricate and challenging tasks.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

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“…Though each technology has its pros and cons, the field of artificial muscle actuators for wearable mechatronics is dominated by pneumatic devices, especially when a miniaturisation of the actuator, including its driving unit, is not important. Indeed, all the requirements stated above can be met by soft pneumatic actuators [ 21 , 22 ], although it should be kept in mind that a high performance is usually paired with the need for relatively bulky (and noisy) electropneumatic units. Therefore, it should not be surprising that pneumatic devices have been the focus, during the last couple of decades, of renewed interest as an intrinsically soft artificial muscle technology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How to Easily Make Self-Sensing Pneumatic Inverse Artificial Muscles

Potnik,

Frediani,

Carpi

2024

Biomimetics

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Wearable mechatronics for powered orthoses, exoskeletons and prostheses require improved soft actuation systems acting as ‘artificial muscles’ that are capable of large strains, high stresses, fast response and self-sensing and that show electrically safe operation, low specific weight and large compliance. Among the diversity of soft actuation technologies under investigation, pneumatic devices have been the focus, during the last couple of decades, of renewed interest as an intrinsically soft artificial muscle technology, due to technological advances stimulated by applications in soft robotics. As of today, quite a few solutions are available to endow a pneumatic soft device with linear actuation and self-sensing ability, while also easily achieving these features with off-the-shelf materials and low-cost fabrication processes. Here, we describe a simple process to make self-sensing pneumatic actuators, which may be used as ‘inverse artificial muscles’, as, upon pressurisation, they elongate instead of contracting. They are made of an elastomeric tube surrounded by a plastic coil, which constrains radial expansions. As a novelty relative to the state of the art, the self-sensing ability was obtained with a piezoresistive stretch sensor shaped as a conductive elastomeric body along the tube’s central axis. Moreover, we detail, also by means of video clips, a step-by-step manufacturing process, which uses off-the-shelf materials and simple procedures, so as to facilitate reproducibility.

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A Review and Comparison of Linear Pneumatic Artificial Muscles

Cited by 13 publications

References 97 publications

Facial Expression Realization of Humanoid Robot Head and Strain-Based Anthropomorphic Evaluation of Robot Facial Expressions

Facial Expression Realization of Humanoid Robot Head and Strain-Based Anthropomorphic Evaluation of Robot Facial Expressions

Multimodal Soft Robotic Actuation and Locomotion

How to Easily Make Self-Sensing Pneumatic Inverse Artificial Muscles

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