Identification and validation of the dynamic model of a tendon-driven anthropomorphic finger

TL;DR

This paper develops and validates a comprehensive dynamic model for tendon-driven fingers, combining experiments and a robotic prototype to enhance understanding and control of human and robotic fingers.

Contribution

It introduces a novel identification framework and experimental methodology for dynamic modeling of tendon-driven fingers, including a robotic implementation for validation.

Findings

Successful identification and validation of the finger model

Development of a robotic finger prototype for testing

Potential extension to cadaver hand modeling

Abstract

This study addresses the absence of an identification framework to quantify a comprehensive dynamic model of human and anthropomorphic tendon-driven fingers, which is necessary to investigate the physiological properties of human fingers and improve the control of robotic hands. First, a generalized dynamic model was formulated, which takes into account the inherent properties of such a mechanical system. This includes rigid-body dynamics, coupling matrix, joint viscoelasticity, and tendon friction. Then, we propose a methodology comprising a series of experiments, for step-wise identification and validation of this dynamic model. Moreover, an experimental setup was designed and constructed that features actuation modules and peripheral sensors to facilitate the identification process. To verify the proposed methodology, a 3D-printed robotic finger based on the index finger design of the Dexmart hand was developed, and the proposed experiments were executed to identify and validate its dynamic model. This study could be extended to explore the identification of cadaver hands, aiming for a consistent dataset from a single cadaver specimen to improve the development of musculoskeletal hand models.