• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제33권10호
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• pp.1081-1086
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• 2009

This paper presents dynamic characteristics of pneumatic artificial muscles. Since the actuating performance of a pneumatic muscle is closely related to the input pressure of a pneumatic muscle, the air flow model on a valve orifice and an elastic bladder of the muscle is formulated to estimate precisely the pressure variance of pneumatic muscles during deflating and inflating process. Frequency response experiments are performed with an antagonistic system consisting of two pneumatic muscles and fast pneumatic control valves. Comparing with experimental results, the proposed model yielded good performance in estimating dynamic motions of the antagonistic system as well as the pressure variance of the pneumatic artificial muscles

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.82-90
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• 2009

Pneumatic cylinder is one of the low cost actuation sources which have been applied in industrial and prosthetic application since it has a high power/weight ratio, a high-tension force and a long durability However, the control problems of pneumatic systems, oscillatory motion and compliance, have prevented their widespread use in advanced robotics. To overcome these shortcomings, a number of newer pneumatic actuators have been developed such as McKibben Muscle, Rubber Actuator and Pneumatic Artificial Muscle (PAM) Manipulators. In this paper, one solution for position control of a robot arm, which is driven by two pneumatic artificial muscles, is presented. However, some limitations still exist, such as a deterioration of the performance of transient response due to the changes in the external load of the robot arm. To overcome this problem, a switching algorithm of the control parameter using a learning vector quantization neural network (LVQNN) is proposed in this paper. This estimates the external load of the pneumatic artificial muscle manipulator. The effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm is demonstrated through experiments with different external working loads.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.173-178
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• 2008

Recent advancements in the electrospinning method enable the production of ultrafine solid and continuous fibers with diameters ranging from a few nanometers to a few hundred nanometers with controlled surface and morphological features. A wide range of biopolymers can be electrospun into mats with a specific fiber arrangement and structural integrity. These features of nanofiber mats are morphologically similar to the extracellular matrix of natural tissues, which are characterized by a wide pore diameter distribution, a high porosity, effective mechanical properties, and specific biochemical properties. This has resulted in various kinds of applications for polymer nanofibers in the field of biomedicine and biotechnology. The current emphasis of research is on exploiting these properties and focusing on determining the appropriate conditions for electrospinning various biopolymers for biomedical applications, including scaffolds used in tissue engineering, wound dressing, drug delivery, artificial organs, and vascular grafts, and for protective shields in specialty fabrics. This paper reviews the research on biomedical applications of electrospun nanofibers.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정밀공학회 2007년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.175-176
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• 2007

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정밀공학회 2005년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.641-644
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• 2005

The aim of this research is to evaluate the relationship between the total effective moment $(M^E)$ and Bemoulli-Euler bending moment (M) when the ply orientations of UD CFRP in Piezoelectric Zirconate Titanate Composite Actuator (PZTCA) are changed. The obtained results as follows. Firstly, as the performance test results by the CFRP ply orientation, the performance of [0] and [90] were stable. However, while the performance of [+45] was suddenly decreased after 5 hours. Secondly, the change of $M^E$ by the CFRP ply orientation was evaluated. As the CFRP ply orientation was increased from [0] to [+60], the $M^E$ were gradually decreased. However, they became a little bit increased from [+60] to [90]. Finally, after the change of M by the CFRP ply orientation was evaluated, it was found that $M^E=2.2M$ was valid for just [0] and that there was a relationship between $M^E$ and M according to the ply orientation.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정밀공학회 2002년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.1062-1065
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• 2002

We have evaluated the ability of a time-delayed artificial neural network (TDANN) to predict muscle forces using only eletromyographic(EMG) signals. To achieve this goal, tendon forces and EMG signals were measured simultaneously in the gastrocnemius muscle of a dog while walking on a motor-driven treadmill. Direct measurements of tendon forces were performed using an implantable force transducer and EMG signals were recorded using surface electrodes. Under dynamic conditions, the relationship between muscle force and EMG signal is nonlinear and time-dependent. Thus, we adopted EMG amplitude estimation with adaptive smoothing window length. This approach improved the prediction ability of muscle force in the TDANN training. The experimental results indicated that dynamic tendon forces from EMG signals could be predicted using the TDANN, in vivo.

• 한국지능시스템학회논문지
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.738-743
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• 2007

본 연구는, 팔(하완)을 잃은 장애자용 인공 의수를 장애자가 자신의 의도에 따라 제어하기 위한 센서 시스템과 제어알고리즘에 관한 것이다. 먼저 장애자의 여러 가지 동작 의도를 검출할 수 있는 센싱 시스템을 연구하고 이 센싱 시스템으로부터 발생된 신호를 사용하여 인공의수를 제어하는 방법에 대하여 연구한다. 센서로서는 전기 저항식 굽힘 센서를 사용한다. 이 굽힘 센서를 팔의 상완 이두근과 오구완근에 각각 1개씩 단단히 부착한다. 부착된 센서로부터 출력된 신호는 근육의 굴곡량을 나타내며 팔의 동작의도를 판단 할 수 있는 신호처리 시스템을 통과시켜 하완의 굴곡과 신전 운동, 손의 내전과 외전 운동을 구별한다. 그리고 구별된 신호로부터 실제 팔의 운동 각도를 추정하여 인공의수의 각도를 제어한다. 본 연구의 효용성을 증명하기 위해 2개의 액추에이터와 포텐셔미터를 가진 간단한 인공의수를 제작하여 제어 실험을 하였다. 실험에서 실제 팔의 각도와 인공의수의 제어 각도 사이에는 센서 외부에서 발생되는 노이즈 및 인공의수의 회전 관성, 기계적인 마찰 등으로 인한 오차가 발생하였다. 따라서 오차 값과 오차의 변화 값에 근거한 퍼지 제어 알고리듬을 이용하여 재 실험을 한 결과 하완의 굴곡/신전 운동에서는 평균 약 4도, 손의 회내/외 운동에서는 평균 약 3도의 오차가 측정되어, 퍼지제어기를 설치한 이전보다 오차가 크게 개선되었다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.363-369
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• 2007

Mitochondria play a central role in energy-generating processes and may be involved in the regulation of channels and receptors. Here we investigated TRPM7, an ion channel and functional kinase, and its regulation by mitochondria. Proton ionophores such as CCCP elicited a rapid decrease in outward TRPM7 whole-cell currents but a slight increase in inward currents with pipette solutions containing no MgATP. With pipette solutions containing 3 mM MgATP, however, CCCP increased both outward and inward TRPM7 currents. This effect was reproducible and fully reversible, and repeated application of CCCP yielded similar decreases in current amplitude. Oligomycin, an inhibitor of $F_1/F_O$-ATP synthase, inhibited outward whole-cell currents but did not affect inward currents. The respiratory chain complex I inhibitor, rotenone, and complex III inhibitor, antimycin A, were without effect as were kaempferol, an activator of the mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ uniporter, and ruthenium red, an inhibitor of the mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ uniporter. These results suggest that the inner membrane potential (as regulated by proton ionophores) and the $F_1/F_O$-ATP synthase of mitochondria are important in regulating TRPM7 channels.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• 제6권6호
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• pp.894-903
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• 2008

In this paper, we present an artificial muscle actuator producing rectilinear motion, called the Tube-Spring-Actuator(TSA). The TSA is supposed to be a prospective substitute in areas requiring macro forces such as robotics. It is simply configured from a synthetic elastomer tube with an inserted spring. The design of the TSA is described in detail and its analysis is conducted to investigate the characteristics of the actuator based on the derived model. In addition, the performance of the proposed actuator is tested via experiments.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정밀공학회 2005년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.927-931
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• 2005

Carbon nanotube actuator, working under physical conditions (in aqueous solution) and converting electrical energy into mechanical energy directly, can be a good substitute for artificial muscle. The carbon nanotube actuator simulated in this paper is an isotropic cantilever type with an adhesive tape which is sandwiched between two single-walled carbon nanotubes. For predicting the static and dynamic characteristic parameters, the analytical model for a 3 layer bimorph carbon nanotube actuator is developed by using Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The governing equation and boundary conditions are derived from energy principles. The induced displacements of the theoretical model are presented in order to investigate the performance of the carbon nanotube actuator with different control voltages. The developed model presents invaluable means for designing and predicting the performance of carbon nanotube actuator that can be used in artificial muscle applications.