Design and analysis of an anthropomimetic robotic leg

Abstract

This report concerns the design and analysis of a cable driven anthropomimetic robotic leg. In the robotic industrial, most of the manipulator is built with serial configuration where it has a simpler kinematic analysis as compared to the parallel configuration. On the other hand, Parallel configuration manipulator is found to have better stiffness and payload capacity. Due to the restricted workspace, the cable-driven parallel mechanism that involves using cables to replace all the supporting links of parallel manipulator is introduced. Having evaluated the leg structure of a conventional manipulator, the cable driven parallel mechanism have the advantages of low moment of inertia, lightweight structure and high acceleration. Thus, this mechanism is adopted for the development of a anthropomimetic robotic leg as a first steps towards a fully cable-driven humanoid robot

This project covers the design of the entire device, followed by the fabrication and test of prototype. In the design stage, embodiment design and workspace optimization of cable driven parallel mechanical of the design lower limb joint modules are carried out. Simple motion control system is used to control the fabricated prototype for replicating different human lower limb postures in the test.

In general, the prototype resembles a human leg and is able to achieve the range of motion of the human leg. Improvement and recommendations for the future work are also discussed.