Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
5-8-2024 11:00 AM
End Date
5-8-2024 1:00 PM
Subjects
Biomimicry, Actuators
Advisor
Alex Hunt
Student Level
Masters
Abstract
Advancements in robotics and bioengineering aim to emulate biological muscle systems through robotic actuators, blending mechanical strength with biological adaptability. A lesser-explored aspect is mimicking the pulse-like control characteristic of biological muscles, which contract in response to action potentials from motoneurons, with muscle contractile force relying heavily on the timing between these potentials. This study explores the effect of pulse lengths and the gaps between pulses on braided pneumatic actuators (BPAs), which mimic the nonlinearity and dynamic response of biological muscles. It hypothesizes that artificial muscles utilizing pulse-based control will exhibit a similar force dependency on the intervals between pulses as seen in biological counterparts. Testing pulse lengths from 10 to 40 ms with inter-pulse gaps ranging from 1 to 500 ms, the study records force and pressure changes in BPAs, identifying a pattern where force output increases with specific pulse durations and gaps. The highest force output correlates, on average, with a 27 ms inter-pulse interval, regardless of pulse length, suggesting bio-inspired pulse control may enhance the biomimetic capabilities of artificial muscles compared to other control methods.
Creative Commons License or Rights Statement
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/41904
Included in
Pulse Modulation in Braided Pneumatic Actuators Mimics Contractile Behavior of Biological Muscles
Advancements in robotics and bioengineering aim to emulate biological muscle systems through robotic actuators, blending mechanical strength with biological adaptability. A lesser-explored aspect is mimicking the pulse-like control characteristic of biological muscles, which contract in response to action potentials from motoneurons, with muscle contractile force relying heavily on the timing between these potentials. This study explores the effect of pulse lengths and the gaps between pulses on braided pneumatic actuators (BPAs), which mimic the nonlinearity and dynamic response of biological muscles. It hypothesizes that artificial muscles utilizing pulse-based control will exhibit a similar force dependency on the intervals between pulses as seen in biological counterparts. Testing pulse lengths from 10 to 40 ms with inter-pulse gaps ranging from 1 to 500 ms, the study records force and pressure changes in BPAs, identifying a pattern where force output increases with specific pulse durations and gaps. The highest force output correlates, on average, with a 27 ms inter-pulse interval, regardless of pulse length, suggesting bio-inspired pulse control may enhance the biomimetic capabilities of artificial muscles compared to other control methods.