Stiffness-oriented cable tension distribution algorithm for a 3-DOF Cable-driven variable-stiffness module

摘要

A modular cable-driven manipulator that consists of cable-driven joint modules can produce intrinsically-safe motions because of its light-weight structure and variable-stiffness property. In this paper, we focus on the issue of stiffness-oriented cable tension distribution for a 3-DOF 6-cable Cable-driven Spherical Joint Module (CSJM), which is modeled as a convex optimization problem. An algorithm based on Lagrange multiplier method and Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) Condition is employed to find the optimal cable tension solution. To validate the proposed algorithm, a simulation example with four cases is carried out. The result shows that the required stiffness can be successfully achieved through cable tension regulation.