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EtherCAT Implementation of a Variable-Stiffness Tendon Drive with Non-back-Drivable Worm-Gear Motor Actuation

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Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems (TAROS 2021)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 13054))

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Abstract

Here we present the design for a compliant actuator than makes use of agonistic-antagonistic tendons. Its novelty lies in its use of worm-gear motor drive and industrial EtherCAT control. We first describe a test rig to investigate variable-stiffness tendon drive for a single link and the construction of a corresponding EtherCAT controller. The tendon drive was based on the shoulder joint in the GummiArm and made use of tendons that exhibit a non-linear extension characteristic, so co-contraction increases joint stiffness. To ensures power was only needed when the arm is moving, low-cost worm-drive DC motors were used. An LQR observed-based controller was designed to realize angular position control of the link. The link controller was implemented using the custom-build EtherCAT panel. We present preliminary results of moving the joint link between angular target positions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Simon Bates and Innovate UK project No: 104622 SoSehRaH and David Mozley at the University of Plymouth for EtherCAT Controller Proof of Concept support, Beckhoff (UK) for technical assistance and Fieldwork Robotics Ltd for supplying the GummiArm tendons, helpful discussion and access to their technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SECAM, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, 4 8AA, UK

    Ian S. Howard

  2. Western Norway University of Applied Science, Førde, Norway

    Martin F. Stoelen

  3. Fieldwork Robotics Ltd., Cambridge, CB24 9AD, UK

    Martin F. Stoelen

Authors
  1. Ian S. Howard
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  2. Martin F. Stoelen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ian S. Howard .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

    Charles Fox

  2. University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

    Junfeng Gao

  3. University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

    Amir Ghalamzan Esfahani

  4. University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

    Mini Saaj

  5. University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

    Marc Hanheide

  6. University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

    Simon Parsons

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Howard, I.S., Stoelen, M.F. (2021). EtherCAT Implementation of a Variable-Stiffness Tendon Drive with Non-back-Drivable Worm-Gear Motor Actuation. In: Fox, C., Gao, J., Ghalamzan Esfahani, A., Saaj, M., Hanheide, M., Parsons, S. (eds) Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems. TAROS 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 13054. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89177-0_40

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89177-0_40

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-89176-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-89177-0

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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