Title: Characterisation and control of IPMC for use in bio-inspired actuators

Authors: Sabreen Abdallah Abdelwahab; Farid A. Tolbah; Magdy M. Abdelhameed; Mohamed B. Trabia; Mohammed I. Awad

Addresses: Production Technology Department, Helwan University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract: This paper presents the development and design of a bio-inspired artificial muscle actuator. The proposed design uses ionic polymeric metallic composites (IPMC), which functions as the force generating source in the actuator. The relation between input voltage and position of the end point IPMC actuator was characterised experimentally. A mathematical model is developed and used in controlling the IPMC motion using a PID controller. The controller shows a good tracking of the reference signals sent to test the system. A real time control system is developed. Experimental results show that it exhibited good tracking with respect to the reference signals.

Keywords: IPMC control; PID; linear actuator; modelling; IPMC characterisation; bio-inspired actuator; soft robotics; real time control.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMRS.2018.095948

International Journal of Mechanisms and Robotic Systems, 2018 Vol.4 No.3, pp.155 - 175

Accepted: 18 Nov 2017
Published online: 05 Nov 2018 *

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