TY - JOUR
T1 - A clutch mechanism for switching between position and stiffness control of a variable stiffness actuator
AU - Cempini, Marco
AU - Fumagalli, Matteo
AU - Vitiello, Nicola
AU - Stramigioli, Stefano
PY - 2015/6/29
Y1 - 2015/6/29
N2 - Variable stiffness actuators (VSA) are fostered in robotics for their capability to address physical interaction with a physically adjustable compliance, being advantageous in terms of efficiency, safety and adaptability to unknown environments. Here we introduce the concept of a switching VSA (sVSA), in which a single actuator is used to control the position or the stiffness of a robotic joint according to a mechanical switch. Despite not allowing simultaneous control of both quantities, this architecture has the potential to make the design lighter, requiring one continuously powered actuator, controllable in position, and one additional switch, activated only occasionally between two limit stages: the advantages are the separation of the motors power requirements and a simpler control. A first prototype of a 1-DoF revolute variable-stiffness joint has been built, based on the vsaUT-II developed at the University of Twente, with a novel clutch mechanism allowing continuous and efficient switching. The prototype proved functionality and feasibility of the sVSA concept.
AB - Variable stiffness actuators (VSA) are fostered in robotics for their capability to address physical interaction with a physically adjustable compliance, being advantageous in terms of efficiency, safety and adaptability to unknown environments. Here we introduce the concept of a switching VSA (sVSA), in which a single actuator is used to control the position or the stiffness of a robotic joint according to a mechanical switch. Despite not allowing simultaneous control of both quantities, this architecture has the potential to make the design lighter, requiring one continuously powered actuator, controllable in position, and one additional switch, activated only occasionally between two limit stages: the advantages are the separation of the motors power requirements and a simpler control. A first prototype of a 1-DoF revolute variable-stiffness joint has been built, based on the vsaUT-II developed at the University of Twente, with a novel clutch mechanism allowing continuous and efficient switching. The prototype proved functionality and feasibility of the sVSA concept.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84938484078&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/ICRA.2015.7139301
DO - 10.1109/ICRA.2015.7139301
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:84938484078
SN - 1050-4729
VL - 2015-June
SP - 1017
EP - 1022
JO - Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
JF - Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
IS - June
M1 - 7139301
ER -