Modelling and control of a human-like arm incorporating muscle models

Abstract

This article focuses on the modelling and control of a two-link planar mechanical manipulator that emulates a human arm. The simplicity of the control algorithm and its ease of computation are particularly highlighted in this study. The arm is subjected to a vibratory excitation at a specific location on the arm while performing trajectory tracking tasks in two-dimensional space, taking into account the presence of ‘muscle’ elements that are mathematically modelled. A closed-loop control system is applied using an active force control strategy to accommodate the disturbances based on a predefined set of loading and operating conditions to observe the system responses. Results of the study imply the effectiveness of the proposed method in compensating the vibration effect to produce robust and accurate tracking performance of the system. The results may serve as a useful tool in aiding the design and development of a tooling device for use in a mechatronic robot arm or even human arm (smart glove) where precise and/or robust performance is a critical factor and of considerable importance.