Optimal configurations for stiffness and compliance in human & robot arms.

Woolfrey, J; Ajoudani, A; Lu, W; Natale, L

Optimal configurations for stiffness and compliance in human & robot arms.

Woolfrey, J

Ajoudani, A Lu, W Natale, L

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Publisher:: PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: PLoS One, 2024, 19, (5), pp. e0302987
Issue Date:: 2024

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Woolfrey, J https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5926-5669
dc.contributor.author	Ajoudani, A
dc.contributor.author	Lu, W
dc.contributor.author	Natale, L
dc.contributor.editor	Cikajlo, I
dc.date.accessioned	2024-08-06T03:37:39Z
dc.date.available	2024-04-17
dc.date.available	2024-08-06T03:37:39Z
dc.date.issued	2024
dc.identifier.citation	PLoS One, 2024, 19, (5), pp. e0302987
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180143
dc.description.abstract	Research in neurophysiology has shown that humans are able to adapt the mechanical stiffness at the hand in order to resist disturbances. This has served as inspiration for optimising stiffness in robot arms during manipulation tasks. Endpoint stiffness is modelled in Cartesian space, as though the hand were in independent rigid body. But an arm is a series of rigid bodies connected by articulated joints. The contribution of the joints and arm configuration to the endpoint stiffness has not yet been quantified. In this paper we use mathematical optimisation to find conditions for maximum stiffness and compliance with respect to an externally applied force. By doing so, we can retroactively explain observations made about humans using these mathematically optimal conditions. We then show how this optimisation can be applied to robotic task planning and control. Experiments on a humanoid robot show similar arm posture to that observed in humans. This suggests there is an underlying physical principle by which humans optimise stiffness. We can use this to derive natural control methods for robots.
dc.format	Electronic-eCollection
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
dc.relation.ispartof	PLoS One
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1371/journal.pone.0302987
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	General Science & Technology
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Robotics
dc.subject.mesh	Arm
dc.subject.mesh	Biomechanical Phenomena
dc.subject.mesh	Arm
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Robotics
dc.subject.mesh	Biomechanical Phenomena
dc.title	Optimal configurations for stiffness and compliance in human & robot arms.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	19
utslib.location.activity	United States
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2024-08-06T03:37:35Z
pubs.issue	5
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	19
utslib.citation.issue	5

Abstract:

Research in neurophysiology has shown that humans are able to adapt the mechanical stiffness at the hand in order to resist disturbances. This has served as inspiration for optimising stiffness in robot arms during manipulation tasks. Endpoint stiffness is modelled in Cartesian space, as though the hand were in independent rigid body. But an arm is a series of rigid bodies connected by articulated joints. The contribution of the joints and arm configuration to the endpoint stiffness has not yet been quantified. In this paper we use mathematical optimisation to find conditions for maximum stiffness and compliance with respect to an externally applied force. By doing so, we can retroactively explain observations made about humans using these mathematically optimal conditions. We then show how this optimisation can be applied to robotic task planning and control. Experiments on a humanoid robot show similar arm posture to that observed in humans. This suggests there is an underlying physical principle by which humans optimise stiffness. We can use this to derive natural control methods for robots.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180143