Torque and workspace analysis for flexible tendon driven mechanisms

— Tendon driven mechanisms have been considered in robotic design for several decades. They provide lightweight end effectors with high dynamics. Using remote actuators it is possible to free more space for mechanics or electronics. Nevertheless, lightweight mechanism are fragile and unfortunately their control software can not protect them during the very first instant of an impact. Compliant mechanisms address this issue, providing a mechanical low pass filter, increasing the time available before the controller reacts. Using adjustable stiffness elements and an antagonistic architecture, the joint stiffness can be adjusted by variation of the tendon pre-tension. In this paper, the fundamental equations of m antagonistic tendon driven mechanisms are reviewed. Due to limited tendon forces the maximum torque and the maximum acheivable stiffness are dependent. This implies, that not only the torque workspace, or the stiffness workspace must be considered but also their interactions....

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: ICRA
• Authors: Maxime Chalon, Thomas Wimböck, Gerd Hirzinger
• Keywords: ICRA 2010, Quality Measures, Robotics, Stiffness, Tendon