Motion system with plurality of stewart platform based actuators

Abstract

Examples of a motion system are disclosed. The motion system comprises a plurality of Stewart platform based actuators connected one to each another forming a desired modular configuration. Each of the plurality of actuators is controlled by a central controller that is configured to independently control the plurality actuators and adjust in real time their position, orientation and motion trajectory. The plurality of actuators are arranged in the desired configuration, shape and size to provide motion system that can mimic a natural motion/gait of human or animal body.

1 . A motion system comprising:
 a plurality of Stewart platform based actuators connected one to each another forming a desired modular configuration, the plurality of Stewart platform actuators comprising an upper plate, a base plate, a plurality of kinematic legs pivotally connected to the base plate and the upper plate extending therein between and at least one driver in communication with the plurality of kinematic legs configured to independently drive each of the plurality of kinematic legs to change length, orientation and/or speed of the legs, wherein a coordinated drive of the plurality of legs moves one of the plate within six degrees of freedom relative to the other plate; and   a central controller having an input unit, a processing unit and an output unit and being in communication with the at least one driver of each of the plurality of actuators to independently control length, orientation and/or speed of each of the plurality of kinematic legs of each of the plurality of actuators to adjust a segmental orientation and position of each of the plurality of actuators.   
     
     
         2 . The motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the central controller comprises inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors to estimate the segmental orientations, positions and forces of the actuators. 
     
     
         3 . The motion system of  claim 2 , wherein output signals of the sensors are fed into the input unit of the central controller, the processing unit processes the received signals from the sensors, computes the length and orientation of the kinematic legs of the actuators, and provides output signals to the at least one driver of the least one of the actuators to adjust the length, orientation and the trajectory of the plurality of kinematic legs of such actuator in real time. 
     
     
         4 . The motion system of  claim 3 , wherein the IMU sensors comprise at least one of a 3-axial rate gyro, a 3-axial accelerometer and a 3-axial magnetometer. 
     
     
         5 . The motion system of  claim 4 , wherein the IMU sensors comprise a sensor algorithm programed to record a 3-axis acceleration, 3-axis gyro, 3-axis magnetometer and a height (barometric pressure) in real time along with corrected roll, pitch and yaw of the movable plate. 
     
     
         6 . The motion system of  claim 3 , wherein the central controller compares the signals obtained from the IMU sensors against a predetermined data set provided by an operator and generates output signals to the at least one driver of the at least one actuator. 
     
     
         7 . The motion system of  claim 1 , further comprising a linking element positioned between at least one pair of two neighboring actuators thereby connecting them, the linking element being selected from a group of a rigid bar, a spring and a linking damper. 
     
     
         8 . The motion system of  claim 7 , wherein the linking element comprises a rigid bar. 
     
     
         9 . The motion system of  claim 7 , wherein the rigid bar connects together one pair of neighboring actuators and an another linking element connects another pair of neighboring actuators, the another linking element being a linking damper. 
     
     
         10 . The motion system of  claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcing damper rotatably connected to the upper plate and the base plate of at least one of the actuator, the reinforcing damper having a driver and a controller in communication with the reinforcing damper driver to control and adjust the stiffness of such actuator in real-time. 
     
     
         11 . The motion system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of kinematic legs is a reinforcing Magnetorheological (MR) damper. 
     
     
         12 . The motion system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of microcontrollers that are in communication with the central controller, wherein the plurality of microcontrollers are programmed to handle low-level calculations to drive the kinematic legs of the actuators for a given time-variant trajectory while the central controller conducts high-level commands to estimate the orientation and position of the actuator over time. 
     
     
         13 . The motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the central controller further comprises a signal conditioning circuit. 
     
     
         14 . A reinforced Stewart platform actuator comprising:
 an upper plate;   a base plate;   a plurality of kinematic legs pivotally connected to the base plate and the upper plate extending therein between;   at least one driver in communication with the plurality of kinematic legs and configured to independently drive each of the plurality of kinematic legs to change length, orientation and/or speed of the legs, wherein coordinated drive of the plurality of legs moves one of the plates within six degrees of freedom relative to the other plate;   a damper rotatably connected to the upper plate and the base plate to reinforced the actuator, the damper having a driver in communication to the damper to adjust damper's stiffness in real-time; and   a controller in communication with the driver of the kinematic legs and the driver of the damper, the controller comprising a processing unit programmed to adjust in real time a length, orientation and trajectory of the plurality of kinematic legs and a stiffness of the damper based on a received input data.   
     
     
         15 . The reinforced actuator of  claim 14 , wherein the controller comprises inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors to estimate a segmental orientation, a position and a stiffness of the actuator. 
     
     
         16 . The reinforced actuator of  claim 15 , wherein output signals of the sensors are fed into an input unit of the controller, the processing unit processes the received signals from the sensors, computes the length and the orientation of the kinematic legs of the actuator, and provides output signals to the at least one driver of the actuator to adjust the length, orientation and the trajectory of the plurality of kinematic legs in real time. 
     
     
         17 . The reinforced actuator of  claim 15 , wherein the IMU sensors comprise a sensor algorithm programed to record a 3-axis acceleration, 3-axis gyro, 3-axis magnetometer and a height (barometric pressure) in real time along with corrected roll, pitch and yaw of the movable plate. 
     
     
         18 . The reinforced actuator of  claim 15 , wherein the central controller compares the signals obtained from the IMU sensors against a predetermined data set provided by an operator and generates output signals to the at least one driver of the actuator to adjust the length, orientations and/or speed of the kinematic legs. 
     
     
         19 . The reinforced actuator of  claim 14 , wherein the damper is a Magnetorheological (MR) damper. 
     
     
         20 . The reinforced actuator of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of kinematic legs is a reinforcing Magnetorheological (MR) damper.