Design and control of an MRI compatible series elastic actuator

Şentürk, Yusuf Mert and Patoğlu, Volkan (2016) Design and control of an MRI compatible series elastic actuator. In: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO 2016), Qingdao, China

[thumbnail of robio2016_reviewcorrections_v2.pdf] PDF
robio2016_reviewcorrections_v2.pdf

Download (2MB)

Abstract

Bidirectional compatibility requirements with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have limited the adaptation of rehabilitation robots for use in MRI machines. In this paper, we present the design and control of a Bowden cable-actuated, MRI-compatible series elastic actuator (SEA) that aims to fulfil the bidirectional compatibility requirements to the maximum extend. The proposed device is built using nonconductive diamagnetic MRI compatible materials, fiber optic sensing units and a Bowden cable based actuation, such that imaging artifacts created under strong magnetic field required for neuro-imaging are minimized. In particular, utilization of Bowden-cable transmission enables the placement of the conventional non-MRI compatible control/signal processing units and electric actuators outside the MRI room. This approach not only helps avoid the MR interference caused by these parts and eliminates safety hazards within the MRI room, but also ensures that the performance of the device is not affected by the strong magnetic field, resulting in ideal bidirectional MRI compatibility. Use of a custom-built fiber optic encoder together with nonconductive leaf spring based elastic element enables torque outputs of the device to be measured and used for closed-loop torque control, rendering the system into a series elastic actuator. The proposed MRI compatible SEA is easily customizable and can be used as the building block of higher degrees of freedom MRI compatible robotic devices. Current prototype is validated to administer continuous torques up to 2 Nm with a torque control bandwidth of 1 Hz and a torque sensing resolution of 0.05 Nm.
Item Type: Papers in Conference Proceedings
Divisions: Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences > Academic programs > Mechatronics
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Depositing User: Volkan Patoğlu
Date Deposited: 13 Nov 2016 21:43
Last Modified: 26 Apr 2022 09:24
URI: https://research.sabanciuniv.edu/id/eprint/30507

Actions (login required)

View Item
View Item