A Wireless Compact Control Unit (WiCCU) for Untethered Pneumatic Soft Robots

Luigi Manfredi; Alfred Cuschieri

doi:10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722788

A Wireless Compact Control Unit (WiCCU) for Untethered Pneumatic Soft Robots

Luigi Manfredi (Lead / Corresponding author), Alfred Cuschieri

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

7 Citations (Scopus)

305 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The performance of a soft pneumatic robot (SPR) relies on the synergy between the mechanical design and the control unit that implements a closed-loop control between sensors and actuators. Most controllers are designed by using off-the-shelf components. Although commercial parts present high precision and reliability, they are heavy and bulky, limiting the realisation and design of untethered robots. The present study describes a wireless pneumatic control unit of a compact and light design that can control up to 3 pneumatic chambers. The unit includes pressure sensors and high precision miniaturised proportional valves. To simplify both the electrical cabling and the air tubes connections, a compact manifold is used to connect valves and pressure sensors. The control unit uses a Bluetooth RS232 serial module for a wireless communication. The mechatronic design is reported describing the electronic hardware, the manifold solution, and the firmware implementation. Experiments report i) the control of a linear pneumatic actuator (LPA), and ii) a simultaneous activation of 3 LPAs connected to a base providing 3 degrees of freedom (DOFs).

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)
Publisher	IEEE
Pages	31-36
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Electronic)	9781538692608, 9781538692592
ISBN (Print)	9781538692615
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722788
Publication status	Published - 27 May 2019
Event	2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics: RoboSoft - Seoul, Korea, Republic of Duration: 14 Apr 2019 → 18 Apr 2019 Conference number: 2 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/mostRecentIssue.jsp?punumber=8716494

Publication series

Name	RoboSoft 2019 - 2019 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics

Conference

Conference	2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics
Country/Territory	Korea, Republic of
City	Seoul
Period	14/04/19 → 18/04/19
Internet address	https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/mostRecentIssue.jsp?punumber=8716494

Keywords

Valves
Manifolds
Pressure sensors
Robots
Pneumatic systems
Bluetooth
Wireless communication

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Artificial Intelligence
Mechanical Engineering
Control and Optimization
Materials Science (miscellaneous)

Access to Document

10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722788

Author Accepted ManuscriptAccepted author manuscript, 1.74 MB

Cite this

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title = "A Wireless Compact Control Unit (WiCCU) for Untethered Pneumatic Soft Robots",

abstract = "The performance of a soft pneumatic robot (SPR) relies on the synergy between the mechanical design and the control unit that implements a closed-loop control between sensors and actuators. Most controllers are designed by using off-the-shelf components. Although commercial parts present high precision and reliability, they are heavy and bulky, limiting the realisation and design of untethered robots. The present study describes a wireless pneumatic control unit of a compact and light design that can control up to 3 pneumatic chambers. The unit includes pressure sensors and high precision miniaturised proportional valves. To simplify both the electrical cabling and the air tubes connections, a compact manifold is used to connect valves and pressure sensors. The control unit uses a Bluetooth RS232 serial module for a wireless communication. The mechatronic design is reported describing the electronic hardware, the manifold solution, and the firmware implementation. Experiments report i) the control of a linear pneumatic actuator (LPA), and ii) a simultaneous activation of 3 LPAs connected to a base providing 3 degrees of freedom (DOFs).",

keywords = "Valves, Manifolds, Pressure sensors, Robots, Pneumatic systems, Bluetooth, Wireless communication",

author = "Luigi Manfredi and Alfred Cuschieri",

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doi = "10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722788",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781538692615",

series = "RoboSoft 2019 - 2019 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics",

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booktitle = "2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)",

note = "2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics : RoboSoft ; Conference date: 14-04-2019 Through 18-04-2019",

url = "https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/mostRecentIssue.jsp?punumber=8716494",

}

Manfredi, L & Cuschieri, A 2019, A Wireless Compact Control Unit (WiCCU) for Untethered Pneumatic Soft Robots. in 2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)., 8722788, RoboSoft 2019 - 2019 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, IEEE, pp. 31-36, 2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, Seoul, Korea, Republic of, 14/04/19. https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOSOFT.2019.8722788

A Wireless Compact Control Unit (WiCCU) for Untethered Pneumatic Soft Robots. / Manfredi, Luigi (Lead / Corresponding author); Cuschieri, Alfred.
2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft). IEEE, 2019. p. 31-36 8722788 (RoboSoft 2019 - 2019 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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AU - Manfredi, Luigi

AU - Cuschieri, Alfred

N1 - Conference code: 2

PY - 2019/5/27

Y1 - 2019/5/27

N2 - The performance of a soft pneumatic robot (SPR) relies on the synergy between the mechanical design and the control unit that implements a closed-loop control between sensors and actuators. Most controllers are designed by using off-the-shelf components. Although commercial parts present high precision and reliability, they are heavy and bulky, limiting the realisation and design of untethered robots. The present study describes a wireless pneumatic control unit of a compact and light design that can control up to 3 pneumatic chambers. The unit includes pressure sensors and high precision miniaturised proportional valves. To simplify both the electrical cabling and the air tubes connections, a compact manifold is used to connect valves and pressure sensors. The control unit uses a Bluetooth RS232 serial module for a wireless communication. The mechatronic design is reported describing the electronic hardware, the manifold solution, and the firmware implementation. Experiments report i) the control of a linear pneumatic actuator (LPA), and ii) a simultaneous activation of 3 LPAs connected to a base providing 3 degrees of freedom (DOFs).

AB - The performance of a soft pneumatic robot (SPR) relies on the synergy between the mechanical design and the control unit that implements a closed-loop control between sensors and actuators. Most controllers are designed by using off-the-shelf components. Although commercial parts present high precision and reliability, they are heavy and bulky, limiting the realisation and design of untethered robots. The present study describes a wireless pneumatic control unit of a compact and light design that can control up to 3 pneumatic chambers. The unit includes pressure sensors and high precision miniaturised proportional valves. To simplify both the electrical cabling and the air tubes connections, a compact manifold is used to connect valves and pressure sensors. The control unit uses a Bluetooth RS232 serial module for a wireless communication. The mechatronic design is reported describing the electronic hardware, the manifold solution, and the firmware implementation. Experiments report i) the control of a linear pneumatic actuator (LPA), and ii) a simultaneous activation of 3 LPAs connected to a base providing 3 degrees of freedom (DOFs).

KW - Valves

KW - Manifolds

KW - Pressure sensors

KW - Robots

KW - Pneumatic systems

KW - Bluetooth

KW - Wireless communication

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PB - IEEE

T2 - 2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics

Y2 - 14 April 2019 through 18 April 2019

ER -

A Wireless Compact Control Unit (WiCCU) for Untethered Pneumatic Soft Robots

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cuschieri, Alfred

Cite this

A Wireless Compact Control Unit (WiCCU) for Untethered Pneumatic Soft Robots

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Profiles

Cuschieri, Alfred

Cite this