Mechanical and Control Design of an Industrial Exoskeleton for Advanced Human Empowering in Heavy Parts Manipulation Tasks
<p>(<b>a</b>) Reference task: car bumper lifting and transportation. (<b>b</b>) Human arm + exoskeleton configurations during task execution.</p> "> Figure 2
<p>Lifting task phases.</p> "> Figure 3
<p>Kinematics of the proposed device.</p> "> Figure 4
<p>Loads acting on the exoskeleton in the critical configuration 2.</p> "> Figure 5
<p>Mechanical model of the compliant belt shoulder joint actuation.</p> "> Figure 6
<p>Elastic belt and joint torques are highlighted on the proposed exoskeleton model.</p> "> Figure 7
<p>(<b>a</b>) Stiffness characteristic of the chosen belt. The stiffness characteristic variation is due to the pre-load applied to the belt. (<b>b</b>) Equivalent stiffness at the link-side shoulder joint.</p> "> Figure 8
<p>Exoskeleton prototype CAD model.</p> "> Figure 9
<p>Overall control scheme showing the inner optimal controller, the outer fuzzy logic controller and the gain scheduler, highlighting the feedbacks to the control loops.</p> "> Figure 10
<p>Gain scheduler online updating the control matrix to the inner optimal controller.</p> "> Figure 11
<p>The nine fuzzy rules for the lifting assistance represented in <span class="html-small-caps">MATLAB</span><sup>®</sup>.</p> "> Figure 12
<p>(<b>a</b>) The interaction torque level 8 Nm is applied while manipulating the 10 kg payload added (i.e., 5 kg for each exoskeleton arm as defined in <a href="#sec2dot1-robotics-08-00065" class="html-sec">Section 2.1</a>). The applied interaction torque is not able to activate the fuzzy controller to deform the set-point to the optimal control to assist the operator. (<b>b</b>) and (<b>c</b>) are related respectively to the 12 Nm and 16 Nm interaction torque levels. The fuzzy controller is activated, empowering the operator. In (<b>c</b>) the assistance is higher then in (<b>b</b>) due to the higher interaction torque level.</p> "> Figure 12 Cont.
<p>(<b>a</b>) The interaction torque level 8 Nm is applied while manipulating the 10 kg payload added (i.e., 5 kg for each exoskeleton arm as defined in <a href="#sec2dot1-robotics-08-00065" class="html-sec">Section 2.1</a>). The applied interaction torque is not able to activate the fuzzy controller to deform the set-point to the optimal control to assist the operator. (<b>b</b>) and (<b>c</b>) are related respectively to the 12 Nm and 16 Nm interaction torque levels. The fuzzy controller is activated, empowering the operator. In (<b>c</b>) the assistance is higher then in (<b>b</b>) due to the higher interaction torque level.</p> "> Figure 13
<p>Comparison between the proposed controller and PID controller compensating a 4 kg payload unknown weight. The proposed controller is capable to suppress vibrations, resulting in less deformation.</p> "> Figure 14
<p>Three DoFs shoulder joint: new concept to increase exoskeleton mobility and task DoFs.</p> ">
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Industrial Exoskeletons Design Solutions
1.2. Exoskeletons Control Solutions
1.3. Paper Contribution
2. Task Specifications & Exoskeleton’s Design Guidelines
2.1. Task Description
- Configuration 1: The arm is extended along the operator’s trunk and the elbow configuration is flexed;
- Configuration 2: The shoulder is flexed of and the upper limb is completely extended. This is the most critical configuration considering the required motor torques.
- phase 0: the operator configures the upper limbs in configuration 1 and the exoskeleton is turned on;
- phase 1: the operator moves the upper limbs without the external load, in order to grasp the object (critical configuration 2);
- phase 2: the operator grasps the object (critical configuration 2);
- phase 3: the operator moves back to configuration 1 carrying the part;
- phase 4: the operator transports the object maintaining upper limbs in configuration 1;
- phase 5: the operator lifts the external object up to the critical configuration 2 to release the part;
- phase 6: the operator releases the object staying in the critical configuration 2;
- phase 7: the operator moves back in configuration 1 without the part;
- phase 8: exoskeleton assistance is turned off (configuration 1).
2.2. Exoskeleton Specifications
- kinematics;
- torque requirements;
- weight and size of the designed device;
- human safety;
- economic affordability.
2.2.1. Kinematics
2.2.2. Torque Requirements
- : interaction force between the forearm and the exoskeleton;
- : interaction force between the arm and the exoskeleton;
- : vertical reaction force of the shoulder;
- : application point of the force;
- : application point of the force;
- : human’s arm length;
- : human’s forearm and hand;
- : weight of the forearm exoskeleton link applied in the middle of the link;
- : weight of the elbow motor;
- : weight of the arm link applied in the middle of the link;
- : torque of the elbow motor to support the joint;
- : torque of the shoulder motor to support the joint;
- : vertical reaction force of the support connecting the exoskeleton link to the back-plate.
- cm.
- kg.
- m.
- m.
- kg ( N).
- kg ( N).
2.2.3. Weight and Size of the Designed Device
2.2.4. Human Safety
2.2.5. Economic Affordability
3. Exoskeleton Modeling & Design
3.1. Compliant Shoulder Joint Actuation Modeling
3.2. Exoskeleton Dynamic Model
- is the vector of the DoFs ;
- is the system inertia matrix;
- is the Coriolis and centrifugal vector;
- is the gravitational vector;
- is the vector of friction forces;
- is the system elasticity vector;
- is the system damping vector;
- is the vector of applied torques at the actuated joints;
- is the transposed extended Jacobian matrix;
- is the vector of external forces applied by the human and/or external load.
3.3. Compliant Shoulder Joint Design
3.4. Design Solution
3.4.1. Brushless Motor Maxon EC60 FLAT/MILE/PM72
- speed reducer IMS PM 72 C Ø72 mm, 4 stage, ratio 305:1.
- EC60 flat, brushless, with Hall sensors.
- encoder Maxon MILE, 1-1024 pulses, 3 differential channels.
- nominal torque Nm.
3.4.2. Transmission
3.4.3. Elbow Actuator
3.4.4. Exoskeleton CAD
4. Industrial Exoskeleton Control
4.1. Problem Formulation
4.2. Optimal Control Design
4.3. Gain Scheduling Control Design
4.4. Empowering Fuzzy Controller Design
4.4.1. Membership Functions
4.4.2. Rule Base
5. Simulation Validation
5.1. Empowering Human in Lifting Task
5.2. (Partially) Unknown Part Manipulation Task
6. Discussion
7. Conclusions
8. Current and Future Work
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Mauri, A.; Lettori, J.; Fusi, G.; Fausti, D.; Mor, M.; Braghin, F.; Legnani, G.; Roveda, L. Mechanical and Control Design of an Industrial Exoskeleton for Advanced Human Empowering in Heavy Parts Manipulation Tasks. Robotics 2019, 8, 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics8030065
Mauri A, Lettori J, Fusi G, Fausti D, Mor M, Braghin F, Legnani G, Roveda L. Mechanical and Control Design of an Industrial Exoskeleton for Advanced Human Empowering in Heavy Parts Manipulation Tasks. Robotics. 2019; 8(3):65. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics8030065
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauri, Alessandro, Jacopo Lettori, Giovanni Fusi, Davide Fausti, Maurizio Mor, Francesco Braghin, Giovanni Legnani, and Loris Roveda. 2019. "Mechanical and Control Design of an Industrial Exoskeleton for Advanced Human Empowering in Heavy Parts Manipulation Tasks" Robotics 8, no. 3: 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics8030065