High-powered pneumatic mobile robot platform leveraging mechanical power modulation of inverse pneumatic actuator muscles
Loading...
Authors
Basic, Trifko
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Robotics , Soft Robotics , Bio-inspired robotics , Pneumatics , Mobile robots
Alternative Title
Abstract
A novel jumping mechanism leveraging inverse pneumatic actuator muscles (iPAMs) is proposed and investigated toward the development of a jumping legged robot. A method of regulating the iPAM’s power output through modulating the exhaust port size of the actuator, and compared to the traditional control method of regulating the supplied pressure to the iPAM, is presented. 3D printed orifice meters were created with different orifice areas, were individually tested, connecting the orifice meter to the exhaust-line, and analyzing the jumping mechanism’s vertical jump performance. Each jump test with the orifice meters had the iPAM initially inflated to 300 kPa, then exhausting its internal air through the selected orifice meter. The jumping mechanism has a standing height of 79 mm, and the measured jump height increased by 191% going from the smallest orifice meter (jump height = 31.26 mm) to the largest one tested (jump height = 91.06 mm). The results demonstrated that the proposed mechanism leveraging iPAMs was successful in jumping and demonstrated that the exhaust air flow regulation method successfully modulated the iPAMs power output, while providing a wide range of variability in power modulation. The exhaust air flow regulation was further advanced by creating a custom-designed valve known as a servo-actuated obstruction of fluid flow device (SOFD). It simplifies the design by regulating the unpressurized exhaust line, resulting in a lightweight, easy-to-fabricate, and cost-effective solution for customized, lightweight pneumatically powered robots. A model is developed to relate desired power output to the effective orifice area set by the SOFD, and its accuracy is validated through a vertical catapult mechanism, comparing measured and predicted launch heights of a test projectile mass. The predicted launch heights were approximately 80 % accurate of the experimental measurements, highlighting the practical utility of the SOFDs power modulation strategy for contractile soft actuator systems like iPAMs.