Frictional influences in tendon-driven robotic systems are generally unwanted, with efforts towards minimizing them where possible. In the human hand however, the tendon-pulley system is found to be frictional with a difference between high-loaded static post-eccentric and post-concentric force production of 9-12% of the total output force. This difference can be directly attributed to tendon-pulley friction. Exploiting this phenomenon for robotic and prosthetic applications we can achieve a reduction of actuator size, weight and consequently energy consumption. In this study, we present the design of a bio-inspired friction switch. The adaptive pulley is designed to minimize the influence of frictional forces under low and medium-loading conditions and maximize it under high-loading conditions. This is achieved with a dual-material system that consists of a high-friction silicone substrate and low-friction polished steel pins. The system, designed to switch its frictional properties between the low-loaded and high-loaded conditions, is described and its behavior experimentally validated with respect to the number and spacing of pins. The results validate its intended behavior, making it a viable choice for robotic tendon-driven systems.


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    Title :

    Bio-inspired friction switches: adaptive pulley systems


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2013-01-01


    Remarks:

    Proceedings of the . IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems ; ISSN: 2153-0858 ; ISBN: 9781467363570



    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    Classification :

    DDC:    629




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