I-Corps: Collaborative robotics using discrete variable stiffness actuators

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of collaborative robot manipulators to allow full use of human intelligence and robotic precision and strength to improve industrial performance and safety. The proposed technology seeks to support manufacturing industries in automating their manufacturing processes by using collaborative robotic manipulators to complement their workforce. The proposed technology may speed up the adoption of co-robots in manufacturing industries to supplement the lack of skilled workers and release workers from repetitive and dangerous tasks to increase manufacturing efficiency with fewer accidents. In addition to manufacturing applications, this next generation of compliant co-robots also may be applied to logistics, military service, medical care, home companions, education, and other applications. This I-Corps project is based on the development of collaborative robot manipulators using discrete variable stiffness actuators that provide both human safety and robotic performance. Currently, existing variable stiffness actuators rely on continuous stiffness change mechanisms. The proposed technology brings a discrete design methodology for fast stiffness level selection, low power consumption, zero back driving force in stiffness change, and compact design. In addition, the proposed actuators provide a unique solution for the development of next generation of compliant robotic manipulators that may balance human safety (low stiffness) and robotic performance (high stiffness) using fast switching of representative stiffness levels. The proposed compliant actuators may be applied to sectors of the robotics industry that require adaptable compliant dynamics enabled by variable stiffness such as walking robots, exoskeletons, medical and educational robotics with human-robot physical interactions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.