Research on novel flexible pneumatic actuator FPA

A novel flexible pneumatic actuator FPA is proposed in this paper. The structure and properties of FPA are described. Based on FPA, flexible pneumatic bending joint, flexible pneumatic torsion joint and flexible pneumatic spherical joint are developed. The mathematical models of flexible pneumatic bending joint and flexible pneumatic spherical joint are established. Experiments are carried out to investigate the characteristics of these two joints by utilizing intelligent control techniques. Experimental results demonstrate that flexible pneumatic bending joint and flexible pneumatic spherical joint can meet the designed requirement of application. Finally, the aim and direction of the future work are forecasted.