Disturbance Observer-Based Controller for Mimicking Mandibular Motion and Studying Temporomandibular Joint Reaction Forces by a Chewing Robot

Abstract

Study of reaction forces on temporomandibular joints (TMJs) during chewing different food materials provides useful information for diagnosis and prevention of common stomatognathic system ailments, such as the temporomandibular joint disorders. However, in-vivo study of TMJs reaction forces is complicated and invasive. Therefore, reproduction of a human subject's mandibular motion by a biologically inspired chewing robot has the potential for the invitro study of TMJs reaction forces. An active anti-disturbance controller is required to handle uncertainties and disturbances due to food-teeth interactions, unmodeled dynamics, and parameter perturbations in the chewing robot. In this paper, a disturbance observer-based controller is used to mimic a human subject's mandibular motion by the chewing robot for in-vitro measurement of the TMJs reaction forces while chewing peanuts and gum.