Simulation of a robot arm that can supplant the dynamic activities of human arm

Okechukwu Stanley Ikwunze 1 and Victor Ikedichi Okparaku 2, *

1 Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Science Laboratory Technology/Physics, Uma Ukpai Polytechnic, Asaga, Ohafia, Abia State, Nigeria.
 
Research Article
GSC Advanced Engineering and Technology, 2022, 04(01), 072–078.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gscaet.2022.4.1.0053
Publication history: 
Received on 24 August 2022; revised on 27 September 2022; accepted on 30 September 2022
 
Abstract: 
The research was tenaciously conducted to model and simulate a robot arm using MATLAB Simulink software. The research activities included modification of a robot arm that mimics the controlling performance of a real human arm in MATLAB and the controlling effects of each joint as per the angle of rotation of the robot arm. The controlling moment (forces) of the robot arm was mathematically modeled. Euler-Lagrange equation of motion was applied to determine vector of control moments (forces). During the simulation process, the first to achieve was to model equations of motion in MATLAB symbolically and then (further) to generate function blocks directly in Simulink followed by use of Sims cape toolbox to model the robot arm similar to 3D modeling. The robot arm end effecter followed certain reference trajectory as computed torque chosen in feed forward plus PD (Proportional Derivative) controller in feedback division. Effective control of the robot arm was ensured by connecting the robot arm to a personal computer (PC) using a microcontroller. The complete control process was accomplished through two divisions of CUBLOC microcontroller program (to write code of interference between PC and the robot arm) and MATLAB Program (containing serial communication code and the graphical user interface). The stages employed in the activities of the complete system functions consist of kinematics, trajectory planning and a controller. The output was tested and it showed that the simulated robot arm performed the dynamic activities, particularly the control, of a real human arm in the software environment.
 
Keywords: 
Robot Arm; Dynamic Activities; Rotation Angle; Angular Velocity; Human Arm; Modeling and Simulation; Control
 
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