Air Muscle Controller Design in the Distributed Macro-Mini (DM²) Actuation Approach

Abstract

Recently, on the base of distributed macro-mini actuation approach (DM <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> ), a new robotic manipulator with hybrid actuation, air muscles-DC motor, has been developed. Among existing actuators, the hybrid actuation employs air muscles because they represent an advantageous tradeoff of performance and safety, due to their power/weight ratio and inherent compliance. The air muscles, however, are limited in bandwidth and their behavior is highly nonlinear. In order to overcome these limitations, the paper presents a torque control strategy based on a pair of differentially connected force-controlled air muscles. This controller was implemented and evaluated on a single joint testbed, first by itself and then as macro component into the Macro-Mini control strategy.