Browsing by Author "Irwin, Alexander"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of a Novel Remote Actuation System versus Traditional Designs
    (2022-09-15) Irwin, Alexander; Goldsmith, Peter; Brennan, Robert; Xue, Deyi; Shrive, Nigel; Goldsmith, Peter; Brennan, Robert
    Remote actuation systems (RAS) are used in robot design to relocate actuators away from joints. Several such RAS have been investigated by researchers, including pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders, cable-pulley systems, and flexible Bowden cables. However, testing of these systems is often not comparative and is focused on specific metrics without consideration of overall robot performance. The purpose of this research is to compare the performance of a novel RAS called the Fluid-cable transmission (FCT) with traditional RAS consisting of push-pull cables and conventional hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. The static friction and stiffness of these RAS are compared for a range of bend angles, fluids, and operating pressures. We also perform qualitative testing by developing a hand controller and robot linked by an RAS. The interface is designed so that the RAS is interchangeable, allowing direct comparison of different RAS designs. A human operator uses the interface to complete a task, and the relative accuracy and subjective experience is compared for the RAS tested. The FCT is found to have lower static friction than all other tested RAS, higher stiffness than pneumatic cylinders, and comparable task performance to all tested RAS. Unique characteristics of the FCT, limitations of the testing system, and recommendations for future work are discussed.