Design and Control of Surface Wave Distributed Actuators forTransporting the Bedridden

本研究探索了一种新的二维分布式致动器系统，该系统通过在床表面产生周期波来在平坦、柔顺的表面上传输人体。一组由NiTi形状记忆合金（SMA）制成的纤维致动器被编织到床垫中，通过协调SMA纤维致动器，在垂直和水平方向上移动单个线圈弹簧，产生周期性表面波。这种主动表面系统允许卧床病人在床和椅子之间转移，而无需抬起病人。它还可以帮助病人改变他/她在床上的位置或姿势，以防止褥疮。在这个项目中，将分析活动表面系统与人体相互作用的运动学和静力学行为；获得舒适、有效地传输人体的最佳波形；基于对人体姿态的估计，将开发用于移动人体和改变人体姿态的控制算法；并讨论了降低分布式执行器系统复杂性的设计和控制准则。

This research explores a new two-dimensional distributed actuator system for transporting a human body on a flat, compliant surface by generating periodic waves on a bed surface. An array of fiber actuators made of NiTi Shape- memory alloy (SMA) are woven into a bed mattress, and periodic surface waves are created by coordinating the SMA fiber actuators that move the individual coil springs in both vertical and horizontal directions. This active surface system allows transfer of a bedridden patient between a bed and a chair without lifting the patient. It also provides assistance to the patient for changing his/her position or posture in the bed to prevent bedsores. In this project, kinematic and static behavior of the active surface system interacting with the human body will be analyzed; optimal wave forms for transporting the human body comfortably and efficiently will be obtained; control algorithms for moving the human body and changing its posture will be developed based on the estimate of the body posture; and the design and control guidelines for reducing the complexity of the distributed actuator system will be addressed.