The inherent compliance of soft fluidic actuators makes them attractive for use in wearable devices and soft robotics. Their flexible nature permits them to be used without traditional rotational or prismatic joints. Without these joints, however, measuring the motion of the actuators is challenging. Actuator-level sensors could improve the performance of continuum robots and robots with compliant or multi-degree-of-freedom joints. We make the reinforcing braid of a pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM or McKibben muscle) “smart” by weaving it from conductive insulated wires. These wires form a solenoid-like circuit with an inductance that more than doubles over the PAM contraction. The reinforcing and sensing fibers can be used to measure the contraction of a PAM actuator with a simple linear function of the measured inductance, whereas other proposed self-sensing techniques rely on the addition of special elastomers or transducers, the technique presented in this paper can be implemented without modifications of this kind. We present and experimentally validate two models for Smart Braid sensors based on the long solenoid approximation and the Neumann formula, respectively. We test a McKibben muscle made from a Smart Braid in quasi-static conditions with various end loads and in dynamic conditions. We also test the performance of the Smart Braid sensor alongside steel.

中文翻译：

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智能编织McKibben肌肉的收缩感知

软性流体执行器的固有顺应性使它们在可穿戴设备和软机器人中具有吸引力。它们的柔韧性使它们无需使用传统的旋转或棱柱形接头即可使用。但是，如果没有这些接头，则测量执行机构的运动是一项挑战。执行器级传感器可以提高连续机器人和具有顺应性或多自由度关节的机器人的性能。我们通过用导电绝缘线编织而成的“人造”气动人造肌肉（PAM或McKibben肌肉）增强编织物。这些导线形成一个类似螺线管的电路，其电感是PAM收缩的两倍以上。增强纤维和传感纤维可用于通过简单的被测电感线性函数来测量PAM执行器的收缩，其他提议的自感应技术依赖于添加特殊的弹性体或换能器，而本文中介绍的技术可以在不进行此类修改的情况下实现。我们分别基于长螺线管逼近和诺伊曼公式，分别介绍和实验验证了智能编织传感器的两个模型。我们在各种端载荷和动态条件下的准静态条件下测试由智能编织物制成的McKibben肌肉。我们还测试了智能编织传感器与钢一起的性能。我们分别基于长螺线管逼近和诺伊曼公式，分别介绍和实验验证了智能编织传感器的两个模型。我们在各种端载荷和动态条件下的准静态条件下测试由智能编织物制成的McKibben肌肉。我们还测试了智能编织传感器与钢一起的性能。我们分别基于长螺线管逼近和诺伊曼公式，分别介绍和实验验证了智能编织传感器的两个模型。我们在各种端载荷和动态条件下的准静态条件下测试由智能编织物制成的McKibben肌肉。我们还测试了智能编织传感器与钢一起的性能。