Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2017
24th ABCM International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
Development of a new modular variable stiffness actuator
Submission Author:
Fabiola da Silva Rosa , SC
Co-Authors:
Estevan Hideki Murai, João Vitor Fernandes Brito, Daniel Martins, Henrique Simas, Fabiola da Silva Rosa
Presenter: Fabiola da Silva Rosa
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2017.COB17-0791
Abstract
Variable stiffness actuator (VSA) is an actuator capable of changing its configuration to be stiff or compliant. VSAs have been developed to fulfill applications that require safety, energy storage and bioinspired movements. These applications include rehabilitation devices, exoskeletons, prostheses, ortheses, walking robots and any robot-human interaction. Despite that, most VSAs can't be used in a different system for which it was designed. In an academic survey it was found only one modular VSA. However, the VSA found has one limitation: it can't be coupled to existing systems that already has its motor. In this work we developed a new modular VSA that can be coupled to existing systems, whether it has or it hasn't a motor. The prototype showed in this work is a proof-of-concept and was manufactured by a 3D printer. Initial experiments showed the VSA developed is effective in adding compliance to the output shaft and its stiffness curve behaves similarly to other VSAs in the literature.
Keywords
modular variable stiffness actuator, variable stiffness actuator classification, Creative design
