Mechanical Simplification of Variable-Stiffness Actuators Using Dielectric Elastomer Transducers
Mechanical Simplification of Variable-Stiffness Actuators Using Dielectric Elastomer Transducers
复制标题
DOI：
10.3390/act8020044
复制
发表时间：
2019-06-01
期刊：
影响因子：
2.6
通讯作者：
Gregg, Robert D.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Allen, David P.;Bolivar, Edgar;Gregg, Robert D.
腿和步态辅助机器人可以更有效地行走，如果他们的执行器是顺应性。可变刚度致动器（VSA）的可调顺应性可以增强这一优势。然而，该功能需要额外的机械部件，由于增加的重量、体积和成本，使得VSA对于某些用途不切实际。如果VSA能够在不增加额外部件的情况下调节弹簧的刚度，那么它将更加实用，这些额外部件通常包括移动部件和额外的电机。因此，我们设计了一个VSA，使用介电弹性体传感器（DET）的弹簧。它不需要机械刚度调节组件，因为DET由于静电力而软化。本文介绍了我们的设计的细节和性能。我们的DET VSA证明了其平衡位置和刚度的独立调制。一旦DET技术的弱点得到解决，我们的设计方法可以使其切实可行，以获得更轻的重量，体积和成本比通常伴随他们的变刚度驱动的好处。
Legged and gait-assistance robots can walk more efficiently if their actuators are compliant. The adjustable compliance of variable-stiffness actuators (VSAs) can enhance this benefit. However, this functionality requires additional mechanical components making VSAs impractical for some uses due to increased weight, volume, and cost. VSAs would be more practical if they could modulate the stiffness of their springs without additional components, which usually include moving parts and an additional motor. Therefore, we designed a VSA that uses dielectric elastomer transducers (DETs) for springs. It does not need mechanical stiffness-adjusting components because DETs soften due to electrostatic forces. This paper presents details and performance of our design. Our DET VSA demonstrated independent modulation of its equilibrium position and stiffness. Our design approach could make it practical to obtain the benefits of variable-stiffness actuation with less weight, volume, and cost than normally accompanies them, once weaknesses of DET technology are addressed.