Title: Simulation of a 6-PUS jaw robot and a new mechanism inspired by masticatory system

Authors: Ming Cong; Haiying Wen; Weiliang Xu

Addresses: School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No. 2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian City, 116024, Liaoning Province, China ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No. 2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian City, 116024, Liaoning Province, China ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract: A jaw robot based on the 6-PUS parallel mechanism was introduced according to the biomechanical properties of mandibular muscles. For a given mandibular trajectory to be tracked, the inverse kinematics solution is derived and Jacobian matrix formulated from differential kinematics is found. Kinematics performances, such as constant orientation workspace and manipulability are simulated via numerical method. These indices show that the parallel mechanism has enough flexible workspace without singularity, and has a good motion transmission performance for human chewing movement. In order to reproduce jaw motions and mechanics that match the human jaw function truthfully with the conception of bionics, the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) are taken into account. Another novel actuation redundant mechanism for the jaw robot is proposed based on mechanical biomimetic principles, which has four degrees of freedom, but is driven by six actuators.

Keywords: jaw robots; biomechanics; mastication system; parallel mechanisms; kinematics analysis; workspace; manipulability; actuation redundancy; mandibular muscles; inverse kinematics; simulation; human chewing movement; bionics; jaw motions; jaw mechanics; biomimetics; robotic jaws.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBBR.2013.058741

International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics, 2013 Vol.2 No.2/3/4, pp.141 - 149

Published online: 18 Jul 2014 *

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