Abstract
Recently, there has been increasing researches on robots equipped with holding mechanism which has shape adaptability. Link-less mechanism that uses some McKibben muscles is nominated for one of power robots which have shape adaptability. Clarifying the mechanical characteristics on the non-axial direction will be necessary for the realization of these power soft mechanisms. In this research, I have analyzed the non-axial characteristics of McKibben muscles. Artificial muscles that have been analyzed are the construction and extension motions. By non-liner finite element method (FEM) analysis the displacement of bending, the transformation to the diameter direction and torsion has been achieved. Moreover, the changes of the stiffness have been derived by the calculation. I have made the artificial contracting type muscle and the artificial extension type muscle of the size same as an analysis model, and conducted the evaluation experiment. The validity of the analysis results has been confirmed by the comparison with the experiment result, and I have shown the non-axial characteristics of McKibben muscles.
