Modeling and Control of Novel Tensegrity Joint Based on TCPM

Modeling and Control of Novel Tensegrity Joint Based on TCPM: Simulation and Trajectory Tracking Using MPC

Alfian Rachmat Akbar, Alfian (TU Delft Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering; TU Delft Delft Center for Systems and Control)

Vallery, H. (mentor)
van den Boom, A.J.J. (mentor)

Delft University of Technology

Mechanical Engineering | Systems and Control

2018-01-23

This thesis presents modeling and control of novel tensegrity joint based on Twisted and Coiled
Polymer Muscle (TCPM) that is biologically inspired by the human elbow. The tensegrity
principle that is used to construct this joint has made it structurally compliance. Therefore,
this joint can be categorized as a compliance actuator.
The modeling is performed by constraining the joint movement to 2 Degree of Freedom (DoF).
As a result, the joint kinematics and dynamics can be simplified and approximated as rigid
body movement. To actuate the joint, the length of the TCPMs can be controlled individually
by Joule heating. This joint can be seen as a MIMO system subject to multiple constraints.
These constraints are imposed by the TCPM and used to prevent the joint from failure during
actuation.
Model Predictive Control (MPC) is designed to control the joint movement. This controller
is suitable to handle a multivariable system subject to constraints. MPC controller based
on linearized model and Hammerstein-Wiener model are designed and their performance on
controlling the joint is compared. Finally, trajectory tracking simulation with various cases
is provided to assess the controller performance.

MPC
Hammerstein-Wiener
TCPM
Artificial Muscle

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:06d79412-c8cb-4a22-a68f-f932eb8cda57

2019-01-31

Student theses

master thesis

© 2018 Alfian Alfian Rachmat Akbar