柔軟ひずみセンサを用いたウェアラブルインタフェースによる3自由度ソフトマニピュレータの操作

抄録

In our study, we have developed the soft manipulator using pneumatic McKibben artificial muscles. It has safety due to the flexible structure and performs 3DOF movement. Therefore, this manipulator is expected to utilize in the agricultural or medical fields. In these fields, the intuitive control method is required. In this report, we adopt a control method in which the operator’s arm movement is used as input to the manipulator motion. The wearable interface that consists of the flexible strain sensors and the stretchable arm cover is developed. This interface detects the operator’s bending motion of the wrist and twisting motion of the forearm. The measured value is used as a drive input signal to the soft manipulator. Wearing this interface, we can control the soft manipulator following our arm movements intuitively. Further, by attaching the soft gripper to the tip of the soft manipulator and combining the bending, twisting and gripping motions, the opening of the cap of the PET bottle is demonstrated as one example task. It indicates the high possibility to conduct various actual tasks.