A Humanoid Robotic Wrist with Two-Dimensional Series Elastic Actuation for Accurate Force/Torque Interaction
Journal
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics
Journal Volume
21
Journal Issue
3
Start Page
1315
End Page
1325
ISSN
10834435
Date Issued
2016
Author(s)
Abstract
It has been a challenge to design humanoid robots that possess intrinsic compliant actuation, especially for robots that are required to be manipulated multidimensionally. Adapting from human limbs, robotic manipulators with internal mechanical compliance can perform high-quality force/torque control and more safely interact with humans. This paper presents a humanoid robotic wrist whose size, range-of-motion, and torque density are comparable to those of a human wrist. To achieve 2-D series elastic actuation, two internal compliant couplers are proposed. Through slider crank and spherical mechanisms, the linear elasticity is converted to rotary elasticity to control the pitch and yaw torques at the same time. This new compact design realizes series elastic actuation in two perpendicular axes without increasing size or complexity relative to that without series elastic actuation. Experiments using a prototype demonstrate that the wrist can achieve accurate and fast force/torque control. We expect this novel compliant wrist to serve as an alternative for applications involving human-robot interaction.
Subjects
Compliant Mechanism
Force Control
Linear Series Elastic Actuator (sea)
Spherical Mechanism
Wrist Robot
Anthropomorphic Robots
Compliance Control
Compliant Mechanisms
Elasticity
Force Control
Machine Design
Manipulators
Mechanisms
Quality Control
Robotics
Robots
Compliant Actuations
Humanoid Robotics
Linear Elasticity
Mechanical Compliance
Robotic Manipulators
Series Elastic Actuations
Series Elastic Actuators
Spherical Mechanisms
Human Robot Interaction
Publisher
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Type
journal article