scholarly journals Kinematic Design of an Underactuated Robot Leg for Passive Terrain Adaptability and Stability

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oren Y. Kanner ◽  
Aaron M. Dollar
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Force ◽  
The Body ◽  
Joint Torque ◽  
Length Ratio ◽  
Segment Length ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Coupling Ratio ◽  
Robot Leg ◽  
Distal Joint ◽  
Underactuated Robot

This paper investigates how the passive adaptability of an underactuated robot leg to uneven terrain is affected by variations in design parameters. In particular, the joint torque coupling ratio, segment length ratio, and rest angles are varied to determine configurations that allow for maximum terrain roughness adaptability while minimizing the transmission of disturbance forces to the body. In addition, a series of alternate leg actuation configurations are considered. The results show that a proximal/distal joint torque coupling ratio of 2 with an inverted distal joint, a proximal/distal leg length ratio of 1.25, and an initial proximal joint angle of −53 deg maximize the terrain variability over which the robot can remain stable by exerting a near-constant vertical reaction force while minimizing lateral force and moment disturbances. In addition, the spring stiffness ratio allows for a tradeoff to be made between the different performance metrics. Finally, the robot's stability with respect to its posture is discussed.

scholarly journals Optimization of Coupling Ratio and Kinematics of an Underactuated Robot Leg for Passive Terrain Adaptability

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oren Y. Kanner ◽  
Aaron M. Dollar
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Reaction Force ◽  
The Body ◽  
Joint Torque ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Leg Length ◽  
Coupling Ratio ◽  
Joint Torques ◽  
Robot Leg ◽  
Underactuated Robot

This paper investigates how the passive adaptability of an underactuated robot leg to uneven terrain is affected by variations in design parameters. In particular, the ratio between the joint torques, the ratio between the link lengths, and the initial joint rest angles are varied to determine configurations that allow for maximum terrain roughness adaptability while minimizing the transmission of disturbance forces to the body. The results show that a proximal/distal joint torque coupling ratio of 1.58, proximal/distal leg length ratio of 0.5, and an initial proximal joint angle of −49 degrees maximize the terrain variability over which the robot can remain stable by exerting a near-constant vertical reaction force while minimizing lateral force and moment disturbances. In addition, the spring stiffness ratio allows for a tradeoff to be made between the different performance metrics.

Development of 3D Equipment Interaction With Predictive Dynamics in Human Motion Simulation

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Joon Chung ◽  
Yujiang Xiang
Keyword(s):  
Human Body ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Reaction Force ◽  
Human Motion ◽  
The Body ◽  
Joint Torque ◽  
Human Model ◽  
Motion Simulation ◽  
Predictive Dynamics ◽  
Human Motion Simulation

3D equipment interaction module in human motion simulation is developed in this paper. A predictive dynamics method is used to simulate human motion, and a helmet is modeled as the equipment that is attached to the human body. We then implement this method using the predictive dynamics task of walking. A mass-spring-damper system is attached at the top of the head as a helmet model. The equations of motion for the helmet are also derived in a recursive Lagrangian formulation within the same inertial reference frame as the human model’s. The total number of degrees of freedom for the human model is 55 — 6 degrees of freedom for global translation and rotation, and 49 degrees of freedom for the body. The helmet has 7 degrees of freedom, but 6 of them are dependent to the human model. The movement of the helmet is analyzed due to the human motion. Then, the reaction force between the human body and the equipment is calculated. Once the reaction force is obtained, it is applied to the human body as an external force in the predictive dynamics optimization process. Results include the motion of equipment, the force acting on body at the attachment point, the joint torque profiles, and the ground reaction force profiles at the foot contacting point.

Making Up 3D Bodies

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Kiona Hagen Niehaus ◽  
Rebecca Fiebrink
Keyword(s):  
Software Tool ◽  
The Body ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Artistic Practice ◽  
Human Form ◽  
Modeling Systems ◽  
Exploratory Approach ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

This paper describes the process of developing a software tool for digital artistic exploration of 3D human figures. Previously available software for modeling mesh-based 3D human figures restricts user output based on normative assumptions about the form that a body might take, particularly in terms of gender, race, and disability status, which are reinforced by ubiquitous use of range-limited sliders mapped to singular high-level design parameters. CreatorCustom, the software prototype created during this research, is designed to foreground an exploratory approach to modeling 3D human bodies, treating the digital body as a sculptural landscape rather than a presupposed form for rote technical representation. Building on prior research into serendipity in Human-Computer Interaction and 3D modeling systems for users at various levels of proficiency, among other areas, this research comprises two qualitative studies and investigation of the impact on the first author's artistic practice. Study 1 uses interviews and practice sessions to explore the practices of six queer artists working with the body and the language, materials, and actions they use in their practice; these then informed the design of the software tool. Study 2 investigates the usability, creativity support, and bodily implications of the software when used by thirteen artists in a workshop. These studies reveal the importance of exploration and unexpectedness in artistic practice, and a desire for experimental digital approaches to the human form.

Automated simulation techniques for uncovering high-performance bioinspired cellular structures under blast loads

2021 ◽  
pp. 109963622110204
Author(s):  
Abdallah Ghazlan ◽  
Tuan Ngo ◽  
Tay Son Le ◽  
Tu Van Le
Keyword(s):  
Energy Dissipation ◽  
Trabecular Bone ◽  
Reaction Force ◽  
Blast Loading ◽  
Performance Criteria ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Cellular Structures ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Automated Simulation

Trabecular bone possesses a complex hierarchical structure of plate- and strut-like elements, which is analogous to structural systems encountered in engineering practice. In this work, key structural features of trabecular bone are mimicked to uncover effective energy dissipation mechanisms under blast loading. To this end, several key design parameters were identified to develop a bone-like unit cell. A computer script was then developed to automatically generate bone-like finite element models with many combinations of these design parameters, which were simulated under blast loading. The optimal structure was identified and its performance was benchmarked against traditional engineered cellular structures, including those with hexagonal, re-entrant and square cellular geometries. The bone-like structure showed superior performance over its engineered counterparts using the peak transmitted reaction force and energy dissipation as the key performance criteria.

Configuration Robustness Analysis of the Optimal Design of Cable-Driven Manipulators

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua T. Bryson ◽  
Xin Jin ◽  
Sunil K. Agrawal
Keyword(s):  
Optimal Design ◽  
Stochastic Optimization ◽  
High Dimension ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Robustness Analysis ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Robot Leg ◽  
Robot Performance

Designing an effective cable architecture for a cable-driven robot becomes challenging as the number of cables and degrees of freedom of the robot increase. A methodology has been previously developed to identify the optimal design of a cable-driven robot for a given task using stochastic optimization. This approach is effective in providing an optimal solution for robots with high-dimension design spaces, but does not provide insights into the robustness of the optimal solution to errors in the configuration parameters that arise in the implementation of a design. In this work, a methodology is developed to analyze the robustness of the performance of an optimal design to changes in the configuration parameters. This robustness analysis can be used to inform the implementation of the optimal design into a robot while taking into account the precision and tolerances of the implementation. An optimized cable-driven robot leg is used as a motivating example to illustrate the application of the configuration robustness analysis. Following the methodology, the effect on robot performance due to design variations is analyzed, and a modified design is developed which minimizes the potential performance degradations due to implementation errors in the design parameters. A robot leg is constructed and is used to validate the robustness analysis by demonstrating the predicted effects of variations in the design parameters on the performance of the robot.

Biomechanics Differ for Individuals With Similar Self-Reported Characteristics of Patellofemoral Pain During a High-Demand Multiplanar Movement Task

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Matthew K. Seeley ◽  
Seong Jun Son ◽  
Hyunsoo Kim ◽  
J. Ty Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Ground Reaction Force ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Reaction Force ◽  
Patellofemoral Pain ◽  
Joint Torque ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Ground Contact ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Contact Phase ◽  
Hip Extension

Context: Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is often categorized by researchers and clinicians using subjective self-reported PFP characteristics; however, this practice might mask important differences in movement biomechanics between PFP patients. Objective: To determine whether biomechanical differences exist during a high-demand multiplanar movement task for PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics but different quadriceps activation levels. Design: Cross-sectional design. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory. Participants: A total of 15 quadriceps deficient and 15 quadriceps functional (QF) PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics. Intervention: In total, 5 trials of a high-demand multiplanar land, cut, and jump movement task were performed. Main Outcome Measures: Biomechanics were compared at each percentile of the ground contact phase of the movement task (α = .05) between the quadriceps deficient and QF groups. Biomechanical variables included (1) whole-body center of mass, trunk, hip, knee, and ankle kinematics; (2) hip, knee, and ankle kinetics; and (3) ground reaction forces. Results: The QF patients exhibited increased ground reaction force, joint torque, and movement, relative to the quadriceps deficient patients. The QF patients exhibited: (1) up to 90, 60, and 35 N more vertical, posterior, and medial ground reaction force at various times of the ground contact phase; (2) up to 4° more knee flexion during ground contact and up to 4° more plantarflexion and hip extension during the latter parts of ground contact; and (3) up to 26, 21, and 48 N·m more plantarflexion, knee extension, and hip extension torque, respectively, at various times of ground contact. Conclusions: PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics exhibit different movement biomechanics, and these differences depend upon quadriceps activation levels. These differences are important because movement biomechanics affect injury risk and athletic performance. In addition, these biomechanical differences indicate that different therapeutic interventions may be needed for PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics.

scholarly journals Mechanical evidence that flamingos can support their body on one leg with little active muscular force

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 20160948 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Hui Chang ◽  
Lena H. Ting
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Joint Torque ◽  
Body Sway ◽  
Active Muscle ◽  
Reduced Body ◽  
Weight Support ◽  
Energetic Expenditure ◽  
Distal Joint ◽  
Support Body Weight ◽  
Muscle Contractile

Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae) often stand and sleep on one leg for long periods, but it is unknown how much active muscle contractile force they use for the mechanical demands of standing on one leg: body weight support and maintaining balance. First, we demonstrated that flamingo cadavers could passively support body weight on one leg without any muscle activity while adopting a stable, unchanging, joint posture resembling that seen in live flamingos. By contrast, the cadaveric flamingo could not be stably held in a two-legged pose, suggesting a greater necessity for active muscle force to stabilize two-legged versus one-legged postures. Our results suggest that flamingos engage a passively engaged gravitational stay apparatus (proximally located) for weight support during one-legged standing. Second, we discovered that live flamingos standing on one leg have markedly reduced body sway during quiescent versus alert behaviours, with the point of force application directly under the distal joint, reducing the need for muscular joint torque. Taken together, our results highlight the possibility that flamingos stand for long durations on one leg without exacting high muscular forces and, thus, with little energetic expenditure.

scholarly journals Pipeline Compressor Redesign With the Consideration of Both Noise and Performance

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri I. Biba ◽  
Zheji Liu ◽  
D. Lee Hill
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽  
The Body ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Tonal Noise ◽  
Experimental Performance ◽  
Expected Performance ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
And Performance

A complete effort to redesign the aerodynamic characteristics of a single-stage pipeline compressor is presented. The components addressed are the impeller, diffuser region, and the volute. The innovation of this effort stems from the simultaneous inclusion of both the noise and aerodynamic performance as primary design parameters. The final detailed flange-to-flange analysis of the new components clearly shows that the operating range is extended and the tonal noise driven by the impeller is reduced. This is accomplished without sacrificing the existing high efficiency of the baseline machine. The body of the design effort uses both Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and vibro-acoustics technology. The predictions are anchored by using the flange-to-flange analysis of the original design and its experimental performance data. By calculating delta corrections and assuming that these deltas are approximately the same for the new design, the expected performance is extrapolated.

scholarly journals A reduced order computational model of a semi-active variable-stiffness foot prosthesis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael McGeehan ◽  
Peter Adamczyk ◽  
Kieran Nichols ◽  
Michael Hahn
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Reaction Force ◽  
Variable Stiffness ◽  
Performance Standard ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Compression Tests ◽  
Static Compression ◽  
Lumped Parameter ◽  
Contact Models

INTRODUCTION: Passive energy storage and return (ESR) feet are the current performance standard in lower limb prostheses. A recently developed semi-active variable-stiffness foot (VSF) prosthesis balances the simplicity of a passive ESR device with the adaptability of a powered design. The purpose of this study was to model and simulate the ESR properties of the VSF prosthesis. METHODS: The ESR properties of the VSF were modeled as a lumped parameter overhung beam. The overhung length is variable, allowing the model to exhibit variable ESR stiffness. Foot-ground contact was modeled using sphere-to-plane contact models. Contact parameters were optimized to represent the geometry and dynamics of the VSF and its foam base. Static compression tests and gait were simulated. Simulation outcomes were compared to corresponding experimental data. RESULTS: Stiffness of the model matched that of the physical VSF (R2: 0.98, RMSE: 1.37 N/mm). Model-predicted resultant ground reaction force (GRFR) matched well under optimized parameter conditions (R2: 0.98, RMSE: 5.3% body weight,) and unoptimized parameter conditions (R2: 0.90, mean RMSE: 13% body weight). Anterior-posterior center of pressure matched well with R2 > 0.94 and RMSE < 9.5% foot length in all conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The ESR properties of the VSF were accurately simulated under benchtop testing and dynamic gait conditions. These methods may be useful for predicting GRFR arising from gait with novel prostheses. Such data are useful to optimize prosthesis design parameters on a user-specific basis.

scholarly journals Muscle forces and the demands of human walking

Biology Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam D. Sylvester ◽  
Steven G. Lautzenheiser ◽  
Patricia Ann Kramer
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limb ◽  
Reaction Force ◽  
The Body ◽  
Muscle Forces ◽  
Skeletal Morphology ◽  
Lower Limb Muscles ◽  
Fossil Hominins ◽  
Force Curves ◽  
Behavior Function ◽  
The Relationship

ABSTRACT Reconstructing the locomotor behavior of extinct animals depends on elucidating the principles that link behavior, function, and morphology, which can only be done using extant animals. Within the human lineage, the evolution of bipedalism represents a critical transition, and evaluating fossil hominins depends on understanding the relationship between lower limb forces and skeletal morphology in living humans. As a step toward that goal, here we use a musculoskeletal model to estimate forces in the lower limb muscles of ten individuals during walking. The purpose is to quantify the consistency, timing, and magnitude of these muscle forces during the stance phase of walking. We find that muscles which act to support or propel the body during walking demonstrate the greatest force magnitudes as well as the highest consistency in the shape of force curves among individuals. Muscles that generate moments in the same direction as, or orthogonal to, the ground reaction force show lower forces of greater variability. These data can be used to define the envelope of load cases that need to be examined in order to understand human lower limb skeletal load bearing.

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