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ROBOTICS – MCKIBBEN’S MUSCLE

ABSTRACT:

ROBOTS MAKE OUR WORK LIGHTER, BUT WE HAVE MADE THE ROBOTS
LIGHTER.
Industrial robots, which are heavy moving bodies, show high risk of damage when
working and also during training sessions in dense environment of other robots. This
initiated the allure for lighter robot constructions using soft arms. This paper reports on
the design of a biorobotic actuator. Data from several vertebrate species (rat, frog, cat, and
human) are used to evaluate the performance of a McKibben pneumatic actuator. Soft arms
create powerful, compact, compliance and light robotic arms and consist of pneumatic
actuators like McKibben muscles. Currently there are some trajectory problems in
McKibben muscles, which restrict its application. This paper presents solutions to certain
problems in the McKibben muscles by the use of Electro Active Polymers (EAP). The
main attractive characteristic of EAP is their operational similarity to biological muscles,
particularly their resilience and ability to induce large actuation strains.
Electro Active Polymers (EAP) as sensors, which simplify a robotic finger models
by acting like an actuator (sensor cum actuator). Ion-exchange Polymer Metal Composite
(IPMC), one of the EAPs, has been selected by us ahead of its alternatives like shaper
memory alloys and electro active ceramics and the reason for its selection is also discussed
in this paper.
We devise a unique model to eliminate trajectory errors by placing EAP stripes
in robots’ joints, which can also be applied to current (heavy) robots actuated by motors.
This paper would obliterate all the difficulties currently present in McKibben muscles
system, which currently restricts its application. Adroit use of the solutions provided in
this paper would abet researchers to produce highly efficient artificial muscles system. We
give the idea of an artificial muscle system which consume “less energy & oxygen” than a
natural one. Therefore we discuss the world’s most energy efficient robot with our
innovative idea.

D.RAVALI P.V.N.SUMA SAILAJA

(03J81A0330) (03671A0351)
(PIRMEC) (JBIET)
SVITS(JKC)

E:mail:[email protected]
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INTRODUCTION TO MCKIBBEN MUSCLES:

Industrial robots are very heavy and highly rigid because of their mechanical structure
and motorization. These kinds of robots in the dense environment of other robots may hit
and damage each other due to technical errors or during the training sessions. This
initiated the idea of developing lighter robot constructions. Replacing heavy motor
driving units, which constitute much weight of a robot with lighter McKibben muscles,
will serve the purpose. The McKibben Artificial Muscle is a pneumatic actuator, which
exhibits many of properties found in real muscle. American physician Joseph L.
McKibben first developed this muscle in 1950’s. It was originally intended to actuate
artificial limbs for amputees spring-like characteristics, physical flexibility, and
lightweight. Its main advantage is the very high force to weight ratio, making it ideal for
mobile robots.

CONSTRUCTION:
The device consists of an expandable internal bladder (a rubber elastics tube) surrounded
by helically weaved braided shell made of nylon cloth which are attached to either sides
like tendon-like structures. A McKibben Artificial Muscle can generate an isometric force
of about 200 N when pressurized to 5 bars and held to a length of 14 cm. This actuator is
relatively small.

Fig.1
WORKING:-
When the internal bladder is pressurized, expands in a balloon-like manner
against the braided shell. The braided shell acts to constrain the expansion in order to
maintain a cylindrical shape.

Fig.2
As the volume of the internal bladder increases due to increase in pressure, the
actuator shortens and produces tension if coupled to a mechanical load. This basic
principle is the conversion of the radial stress on the rubber tube into axial stress and
during relaxation of the muscle the reverse happens. A thin rubber bladder is used to
transmit the entire pressure acting on it to the unstreachable outside shell. One end of the
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muscles is sealed where loads can be attached and the other end is for the air from the
regulator as shown in figure 3.
By using a finite element model approach, we can estimate the interior stresses
and strains of the McKibben actuator.

Fig.3

Performance Characteristics: –
The force generated by a McKibben Artificial Muscle is dependent on the weave
characteristics of the braided shell, the material properties of the elastic tube, the
actuation pressure, and the muscle's length.

Artificial versus Biological Muscle: - The force-length properties of the McKibben

actuator are reasonably close to biological muscle. However, the force-velocity properties
are not. We have designed a hydraulic damper to operate in parallel with the McKibben
actuator to produce the desired results.

Energy requirement:– the energy requirement of a McKibben artificial robot is the least
among all the robots. It is even less than that used up by the human muscle.

MCKIBBEN MUSCLES AS ACTUATOR:

A PHYSIOLOGICAL MODEL
Two McKibben muscles put into antagonism define a rotoid actuator based on the
physiological model of the biceps-triceps systems of human beings. The two muscles are
the agonist and the antagonist and are connected by means of a chain and driving
sprocket as shown in the figure 3. The force difference between the two generates a
torque. An initial tension must be maintained against the passive tension found in human
physiology. When the pressures are increased and decreased to P1 and P2 respectively, an
angular deflection of θ is produced. The equation for the torque produced was deduced
as: T=k1 (P1-P2)-k2 (P1+P2) θ
Where, k1 and k2 are constants. This equation is much similar and gives a near value to
the one deduced by N.Hogan having the system of biceps-triceps as the basis.
T= Tmax (Ub-Ut)-k (Ub-Ut) θ
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Where Tmax, k are constants and Ub, Ut are normalized nervous control of biceps and
triceps.

Fig.4

Advantages of the McKibben Artificial Muscle

• High force to weight ratio Size availability
• Flexible
• Powerful
• Damped
• Effective
• Lightweight
• Low-cost
• Smooth.

Electro active Polymer Artificial Muscles:

Electro active polymers (EAP) are being developed to enable effective, miniature,
inexpensive and light robotic applications like surface wipers etc. The EAP material that
is commonly used is known as IPMC (Ion- exchange polymer metal composite), which is
dealt later. The EAP strip can be made as grippers and strings, which can grab and lift
loads, among many other potential uses. These strips and strings have the potential to
greatly simplify robotic spacecraft tasks.
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Fig. 5 EAP: As dust wiper.

When an electric charge follows through the ribbon, charged particles in the polymer get
pushed or pulled on the ribbon’s two sides, depending on the polarity. The net result: the
ribbon bends. Four such ribbons can be made to lift a load. They can operate under
cryogenic conditions like -140 degree Celsius. When the power supply is turned off, the
cylinder relaxes, enabling it to lift or drop loads.

INFLUENCE OF ELECTRIC FIELD (i.e. BENDING OF THE STRIP): -

The bending can occur due to differential contraction and expansion of outer
most remote regions of a strip if an electric field is imposed across its thickness as shown
in figure. IPMC strips generally bend towards the anode and if the voltage signal is
reversed they also reverse their direction of bending. Conversely by bending the material,
shifting of mobile charges become possible due to imposed stresses. When a rectangular
strip of the composite sensor is placed between two electrodes and is bent, a stress
gradient is built on the outer fibers relative to the neutral axis (NA). The mobile ions
therefore will shift toward the favored region where opposite charges are available. The
deficit in one charge and excess in the other can be translated into a voltage gradient that
is easily sensed by a low power amplifier. Since these muscles can also be cut as small as
one desires, they present a tremendous potential to micro-electro-mechanical systems
(MEMS) sensing and actuation applications.
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ADVANTAGES OF EAP:

♣ Can be manufactured and cut in any size and shape.

♣ Have good force to weight characteristics in the presence of low applied
voltages.
♣ Work well in both humid and dry environments.
♣ Work well in cryogenic conditions and at low pressures.
♣ Unique characteristics of low density as well as high toughness, large
actuation strain and inherent damping vibrations.
♣ Show low impedance.

IPMC:

Construction:

The IPMC are composed of a per fluorinated ion exchange membrane which consist of a
polymer matrix that is coated on the outer surface with platinum in most cases (silver and
copper have also been used).This coating aids in the distribution of the voltage over
surface. These are made into sheets that can be cut into different shapes and sizes as
needed.

Working:

Strips of these composites can undergo large bending and flapping displacement if an
electric field is imposed across the thickness. A circuit is connected to surface to produce
voltage difference, causing bending. Thus, in this sense they are large motion actuators.
Conversely by bending the composite strip, either quasi-statically or dynamically, a
voltage is produced across the thickness of the strip. Thus, they are also large motion
sensors.
When the applied signal frequency is varied, so does the displacement up to a
point where large deformations are observed at a critical frequency called resonant
frequency. At resonant frequency maximum deformation is observed and beyond this
frequency the actuator response is diminished. Lower frequencies (down to 0.1 or 0.01
Hz) lead to higher displacement (approaching 25 mm) for a 0.5cm X 2cm X 0.2mm thick
strip and failed for other frequency values under similar conditions. IPMC films have
shown remarkable displacement under relatively low voltage, using very low power. A
film-pair weighing 0.2-g was configured as an actuator and using 5V and 20mW
successfully induced more than 11% contraction displacement. Since the IPMC films are
made of a relatively strong material with a large displacement capability, we investigated
their application to emulate fingers. The gripper we suggested may be supported using
graphite/epoxy composite rod to emulate a lightweight robotic arm.
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Advantages of IPMC

• Light
• Compact
• Driven by low power & voltage
• Large strain capability

An example for EAP is per fluorinated ion exchange membrane (IEM) whose molecular
structure is shown below.

[-(CF2-CF2) n- (CF-CF2) m-]

|
O-CF-CF2-O-CF2-SO3…M+
|
CF3

MCKIBBEN MUSCLES AND EAP SENSORS

(INTELLIGENT ROBOTS)
Developing intelligent robots requires the combination of strong muscles
(actuators) and acute sensors, as well as the understanding of the biological model. Using
effective EAP materials as artificial muscles, one can develop biologically inspired robots
and locomotives that possibly can walk, fly, hop, dig, swim and/or dive. Natural muscles
are driven by a complex mechanism and are capable of lifting large loads at short
(millisecond) response times.. Since muscle is fundamental to animal life and changes
little between species, we can regard it as a highly optimized system. The mobility of
insects is under extensive study.
Development of EAP actuators is expected to enable insect-like robots that can be
launched into hidden areas of structures to perform inspection and various maintenance
tasks. In future years, EAP may emulate the capabilities of biological creatures with
integrated multidisciplinary capabilities to launch space missions with innovative plots.
Some biological functions that may be adapted include soft-landing like cats, traversing
distances by hopping like a grasshopper and digging and operating cooperatively as ants.

DEVELOPMENT OF EAP FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS

Since 1995, under the author’s lead, planetary applications using EAP have been explored
while improving the understanding, practicality and robustness of these materials. EAP
materials are being sough as a substitute to conventional actuators, and possibly
eliminating the need for motors, gears, bearings, screws, etc. Generally, space
applications are the most demanding in terms of operating conditions, robustness and
durability offering an enormous challenge and great potential for these materials.
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A comparison between IPMCs and other types of actuators is given below:

PROPERTIES Ionic polymer – Shape Memory Electro Active

Metal Composites Alloys (SMA) Ceramics (EAC)
(IPMC)
Actuation >10% <8% short fatigue 0.1-0.3%
Displacement life
Force (Mpa) 10-30 About 700 30-40
Reaction speed Micro sec to second Sec to min Micro sec to sec
Density 1.25 g/cc 5-6g/cc 6-8g/cc
Drive voltage 4-7 V NA 50-800V
Fracture Resilient, elastic Elastic Fragile
Toughness
SUGGESTIONS
EAP AS SENSORS: This paper suggests placing of EAP strips (IPMC) at each joint of
the robot with each and fixed to each arm as shown in diagram. Relative angular
deflections of the arms bend the strip (mechanical deformation), which generates current.
During robot’s training session the current signals from each joint is converted (using
transducer) into data signals for a PC-platform data acquisition system which stores the
data as a base. During the robot’s regular work, the signal from each joint is analyzed
for every microsecond and compared with the stored database. Any variation would
develop error signals, which are processed for correction signals by the system. These
signals are then used to control the piezo-electric or high-speed matrix pneumatic valve
which regulates the air flow to muscles .This forms a closed system which corrects the
trajectory errors.
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Fig.7 Inserting EAP stripes 1,2,3 in the robot arm

EAP FINGERS:
This paper suggests two or more EAP (IPMC) strips supported by an
epoxy/graphic composite holder can act as robotic fingers (lifters and grippers).When
the stripes are actuated by passing current, the fingers bend outwards to allow the object
in. The fingers are then de-energized by reducing the voltage. During the training session,
the maximum and minimum voltages required for opening and closing respectively is
stored in the database. When the object having less/more dimension (than the standard) is
gripped, the additional bend produced in the strips would generate current which is
sensed and processed for dimensional inaccuracy and the object is rejected. The error
signals can also be possessed for correction signals, which control the manufacturing
machines. This forms a closed system which reduces the dimensional inaccuracy.

Fig.8: Pos1: -EAPfingers Pos 2: - EAP fingers holding

the object.
EAP AS DAMAGE ANALYSER:
Since the equation for the stress on an EAP stripe is available, the force with which
a robot arm hits any obstacle can be analyzed. Having known the geometry and material
properties of the arm, the analysis will infer the replacement or extension of life span of
that arm without getting into the depth study of the damage caused which takes time and
money. The stress acting on the metal composite can be calculated using the following
equation.
s = k (C0, Ci) E2
DESIGN OF INTELLIGENT ROBOTIC HAND :
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Fig. 9 An EAP actuated hand with fingers

The robotic hand muscles are made up of McKibben muscles while the fingers are
supported with EAP strips which can act as sensors as well as actuators and can be used
for lifting loads as shown in the diagram 8.

DESIGN OF MUSCLES FOR HUMAN BEINGS-BIONIC MEN AND WOMEN

The McKibben muscles along with the EAP strips can be used to replace damaged
muscles for handicaps. Years from now, the McKibben muscles could also conceivably
replace damaged human muscles, leading to partially “bionic men” and “bionic women”
of the future as shown in the figure 10.

Fig.10

These biorobotic muscles:

 Reduce the metabolic cost of locomotion.

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 Reduce the level of perceived effort.

 Improve gait symmetry as measured by kinematics and kinetic techniques.
 Consume less oxygen and energy than even a natural system.

CONCLUSION:

Electro active polymers are changing the paradigm about the complexity of
robots. In the future, we see the potential to emulate the resilience and fracture tolerance
of biological muscles, enabling us to builds simple robots that dig and operate
cooperatively like ants, soft-land like cats or traverse long distances like a grass hopper.
The observed remarkable vibrational characteristics of IPMC composite artificial muscles
clearly point to the potential of these muscles for biomimetic applications such as
swimming robotic structures, wing flapping flying machines, slithering snakes, heart and
circulation assist devices, peristaltic pumps etc..It has recently been established that the
tweaking of the chemical composition of IPMC the force capability of these muscles
can be greatly improved. IPMCs are the artificial muscles that give space robots animal-
like flexibility and manipulation ability based on a simple, light-weight strip of highly
flexible plastic that bends and functions similarly to human fingers when electrical
voltage is applied to it. Two EAP actuators are used as miniature wipers to clear dust off
the viewing windows of optical and infrared science instruments. Studies made by
robotics specialists and neurophysiologists suggest that McKibben artificial muscles can
be used to develop Biorobotic arms for handicaps. Years from now, the McKibben
muscles could also conceivably replace damaged human muscles, leading to
partially “bionic men” and “bionic women” of the future.

REFERENCES

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Bar-Cohen Y., T. Xue and S.-S., Lih, "Polymer Piezoelectric Transducers for Ultrasonic
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Bar-Cohen, Y., (Ed.), Proceedings of the Electro active Polymer Actuators and Devices,
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129-146 (1990).
Hathaway K.B., Clark A.E., "Magnetostrictive materials," MRS BULLETIN, Vol.18, No.
4 (April 1993), pp. 34-41.