McKibben artificial muscles: pneumatic actuators with biomechanical intelligence

TLDR

The design of a biorobotic actuator is guided by biological requirements derived from muscle physiology literature and implemented using the Hill muscle model. The study proposes a hydraulic damper with fixed orifices in parallel with the McKibben actuator to enhance its force‑velocity performance. Data from several vertebrate species (rat, frog, cat, and human) are used to evaluate the McKibben actuator, and a hydraulic damper with fixed orifices is incorporated to improve force‑velocity behavior. Experimental results show the actuator’s force‑length properties are muscle‑like, while force‑velocity properties are not, but simulation indicates the damper design significantly improves performance.

Abstract

Reports on the design of a biorobotic actuator. Biological requirements are developed from published reports in the muscle physiology literature whose parameters are extracted and applied in the form of the Hill muscle model. Data from several vertebrate species (rat, frog, cat, and human) are used to evaluate the performance of a McKibben pneumatic actuator. The experimental results show the force-length properties of the actuator are muscle-like, but the force-velocity properties are not. The design of a hydraulic damper with fixed orifices, placed in parallel with the McKibben actuator, is proposed to improve the force-velocity performance. Simulation results of this practical design indicate a significant improvement.