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Series Elastic Actuation for Assistive Orthotic Devices: Case Study of Pneumatic Actuator

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New Trends in Medical and Service Robots

Part of the book series: Mechanisms and Machine Science ((Mechan. Machine Science,volume 39))

Abstract

Wearable assistive robotics is a modern field where intelligent actuated systems work in collaboration with the body to replace a lost limb, to enhance performances (e.g. carrying load, walking, running, jumping) or to train or rehabilitate specific activities. Wearability (e.g. weight, bulkiness) and power are the two main competing characteristics of most assistive wearable devices. Energy efficient actuation systems with high power density per mass and volume are thus preferred. The biological muscle-tendon solution is very interesting for energy storage and generation of efficient cyclic patterns. The present study investigates on the capacity to replicate these biological properties using series elastic actuator (SEA) based on pneumatic cylinder technology. While classic SEA designs are composed of electric actuator in series with steel springs, pneumatic actuators are intrinsically compliant due to the compressibility of the fluid. The study starts by presenting an experimental approach for characterizing the elastic behavior of a pneumatic cylinder actuation targeting the assistance of the hip flexion. Results are then confronted to measurements of lower limb joints’ stiffness observed during walking to identify the suitability of the solution with the targeted application..

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Acknowledgments

Authors want to thank the ASRIM (Association Suisse Romande et Italienne contre les Myopathies) and the FSRMM (Fondation Suisse de Recherche sur les Maladies Musculaires) for supporting this work. A particular thanks is addressed to Anil Kodiyan who contributed in the design and assembly of the setup.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Robotic Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland

    A. Ortlieb, J. Olivier, M. Bouri & H. Bleuler

Authors
  1. A. Ortlieb
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  2. J. Olivier
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  3. M. Bouri
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  4. H. Bleuler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Ortlieb .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ecole Centrale de Nantes 1, Institut de Recherche en Communications, Nantes Cedex 03, France

    Philippe Wenger

  2. Ecole Centrale de Nantes 1, Inst Rec Comm Cybernetique Nantes, Nantes cedex 3, France

    Christine Chevallereau

  3. Research Center for Industrial Robo, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Doina Pisla

  4. IMT - LSRO1, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Hannes Bleuler

  5. Robotics Laboratory, Mihajlo Pupin Institute, Belgrade, Serbia

    Aleksandar Rodić

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Ortlieb, A., Olivier, J., Bouri, M., Bleuler, H. (2016). Series Elastic Actuation for Assistive Orthotic Devices: Case Study of Pneumatic Actuator. In: Wenger, P., Chevallereau, C., Pisla, D., Bleuler, H., Rodić, A. (eds) New Trends in Medical and Service Robots. Mechanisms and Machine Science, vol 39. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30674-2_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30674-2_9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-30673-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-30674-2

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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