Design and performance analysis of a new LARMbot torso

Humanoid robots are expected to be applied in some situations, suchas servingat home to assist human activities. As an important achievement, the LARMbothumanoid robot has proper working performance in completing human-liketasks. Among the components of a humanoid robot, a humanoid torso plays a vital rolein supporting a humanoid robot to complete the desired motions. However, through the re-living experiments of the LARMBot torso V1, some problems haveto be solved to obtain a better working performance in human-like motions(Chapter 1). Analyzing the anatomy of the human torso is an effective method to obtainthedesign requirements of a proper mechanism for completing the desiredhuman-like motions. Four conceptual designs in parallel cable-driven mechanismsare proposed and a proper mechanism is used for the one vertebral discunit. Analysis and experiments are conducted to verify the performance of the designedmechanism and to obtain the parameters of the prototype when it completesthehuman-like motions so that the number of vertebral disc units for thenewLARMbot torso can be decided (Chapter 2). Based on the characterization of the one vertebral disc unit and the ratioof ahuman adult, a new LARMbot torso is developed. Kinematic analysis anddynamic analysis are conducted to evaluate the properties of the proposeddesign. FEM analysis is conducted to evaluate the payload and stiffness of the structure(Chapter 3). To drive the proposed LARMbot torso and make it complete the desiredmotions, a closed-loop control system is developed instead of using anopen-loopcontrol system considering the controlling accuracy and stability. Simulationisconducted by using Matlab software to evaluate the performance of the proposedcontrol strategy. According to the measured values of the IMUsensor inthesystem, the code of the closed-loop strategy is developed to drive the wholesystem using Arduino boards (Chapter 4). A prototype of the new LARMbot torso is manufactured by using 3D-printedparts and market components. Experiments in three modes are conductedtoobtain the parameters so that the working performance can be evaluated(Chapter5). In the future, the new LARMbot torso will be assembled on the LARMbothumanoid robot with the head, arms, and legs to complete human-like tasks