An approach for soft humanoid robot with artificial muscles

In this paper an approach how to construct and control a soft humanoid robot with artificial muscle is presented. The control methods to control air muscles of upper and lower limbs of the soft humanoid robot with artificial muscles developed at Artificial Life and Robotics Laboratory at ALife Robotics Corporation Ltd., Japan, are proposed. The number of total artificial muscles for lower limb is 22 where 11 artificial muscles are arranged in each leg. Also the number of total artificial muscles for upper limb( one arm) is 12 where 6 artificial muscles are arranged in each arm. Using a simple proportional control law, the action controls from stand up position to sit down position on a chair and from the sit down position on the chair to the stand up position have been achieved by controlling 24 artificial muscles of lower limes of the robot simultaneously. Also, the action controls for various movements have been achieved by controlling 6 artificial muscles of upper limb(arm) of the robot simultaneously. By combing the upper limb to lower limb, a complete soft humanoid robot with artificial muscles will be constructed. Also, a consideration how to construct other actions such as walking, etc. for the soft humanoid robot is given briefly. This paper gives an idea for constructing different type of soft humanoid robots with artificial muscles in future.