Development of a Pneumatically Driven Soft Arm for a Telepresence Robotic Avatar used at Exhibitions
Yuki HIRANO, Hironari TANIGUCHI, Hideaki KOKUBU · Kiso Junkatsu Sekkei Bumon Kouenkai kouen rombunshuu/Kiso Junkatsu Sekkei Bumon Koenkai koen ronbunshu · 2024
The telepresence robotic avatar designed for use in crowded exhibition halls requires a high level of safety. The purpose of our work is to develop a telepresence robotic avatar featuring a soft arm tailored for exhibition purposes. This paper details the structural composition and fundamental characteristics evaluation of the proposed soft arm, which operates using pneumatic actuators and tension springs. Motion analysis experiments revealed that the arm exhibits drooping tendencies during forward extension in both medial and lateral movements. In addition, upward motion showed a limited range compared to other motions, while downward motion showed the greatest displacement from the tip of the arm. The arm's range of motion in both directions was influenced by its weight. Safety evaluation tests indicated that all movements were below standard safety thresholds, confirming the suitability of the arm for human interaction.