Emulation of the animal muscular actuation system in an experimental platform

This research work involves the design and implementation of an efficient biomechanical model of the animal muscular actuation system. In order to build the biomechanical system to have mechanical properties as close as possible to the human or animal arm, auto-reversible DC motors with appropriate planetary gearboxes and multi-radial flexible couplings (in order to pull and to be pushed), force and position sensors, and tendons are integrated in the system. In this system the implementation of mathematical models of muscle in a whole skeletal muscle force generation on DC motors was carried out. Experimental results show the actuation system has the basic properties of the animal musculoskeletal system. This properties are the force-length and force-velocity relationships