1. Y. Zhu, E. J. Barth, “Accurate Sub-millimeter Servo-Pneumatic Tracking using Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC)”. International Journal of Fluid Power, in review, July 2009.
  1. N. Gulati, E. J. Barth. “A Globally Stable, Load Independent Pressure Observer for the Servo Control of Pneumatic Actuators”. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, vol. 14, issue 3, pp.295 – 306, DOI 10.1109/TMECH.2008.2009222, June 2009.
  1. Y. Zhu, E. J. Barth. “An Energetic Control Methodology for Exploiting the Passive Dynamics of Pneumatically Actuated Hopping”. ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement and Control, vol. 130, issue 4, pp.041004-1 – 041004-11, July 2008
  1. Y. Zhu, E. J. Barth. “Passivity-based Impact and Force Control of a Pneumatic Actuator”. ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement and Control,vol. 130, issue 2, pp.024501-1 – 024501-7, March 2008.
  1. B. L. Shields, E. J. Barth, M. Goldfarb. “Predictive Control for Time-Delayed Switching Control Systems”. ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, vol. 128, no. 4, pp. 999-1004, December 2006.
  1. X. Shen, J. Zhang, E. J. Barth, M. Goldfarb. “Nonlinear Model Based Control of Pulse Width Modulated Pneumatic Servo Systems”. ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, vol. 128, no. 3, pp. 663-669, September 2006.
  1. K. A. Al-Dakkan, E. J. Barth, M. Goldfarb. “Dynamic Constraint Based Energy Saving Control of Pneumatic Servo Systems”. ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, vol. 128, no. 3, pp. 655-662, September 2006.
  1. J. Wu, M. Goldfarb, E. J. Barth. “On the Observability of Pressure in a Pneumatic Servo Actuator”. ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, vol. 126, pp. 921-924, December 2004.
  1. E. J. Barth, J. Zhang, M. Goldfarb. “Control Design for Relative Stability in a PWM-Controlled Pneumatic System”. ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, vol. 125, no. 3, pp. 504-508, September 2003.
  1. Y. Zhu, E. J. Barth. “Energy-Based Control of a Pneumatic Oscillator with Application to Energy Efficient Hopping Robots,” 2006 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE), IMECE2006-15015, November 5-10, 2006, Chicago, IL.
  1. Y. Zhu, E. J. Barth. “Planar Peg-in-Hole Insertion Using a Stiffness Controllable Pneumatic Manipulator,” 2005 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE), IMECE2005-81667, November 5-9, 2005, Orlando, Fl.
  1. N. Gulati, E. J. Barth. “Non-Linear Pressure Observer Design for Pneumatic Actuators,” Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE/ASME, International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), pp. 783-788, Monterey, CA, 24-28 July, 2005.
  1. N. Gulati, E. J. Barth. “Pressure Observer Based Servo Control of Pneumatic Actuators,” Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE/ASME, International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), pp. 498-503, Monterey, CA, 24-28 July, 2005.
  1. Y. Zhu, E. J. Barth. “Impedance Control of a Pneumatic Actuator for Contact Tasks,” Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pp. 999-1004, Barcelona, Spain, April 2005.
  1. X. Shen, M. Goldfarb, E. J. Barth. “Nonlinear state-space averaging applied to the control of pulse width modulated (PWM) pneumatic systems”. Proceedings of the 2004 American Control Conference (ACC), FrA16.3, June 30 - July 2 2004, pp. 4444-4448.
  1. K. A. Al-Dakkan, E. J. Barth, M. Goldfarb. “A Multi-Objective Sliding Mode Approach for the Energy Saving Control of Pneumatic Servo Systems”. 2003 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE), IMECE2003-42746, November 15-21, 2003, Washington, DC. Recipient of the ASME IMECE 2003 Fluid Power and Technology (FPST) Division’s best paper award.
  1. K. A. Al-Dakkan, M. Goldfarb, E. J. Barth. “Energy Saving Control for Pneumatic Servo Systems”. Proceedings of the 2003 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics, 2003. Vol. 1, July 20-24, pp. 284-289.
  1. M. Goldfarb, J. Wu, E. J. Barth. “The Role of Pressure Sensors in the Servo Control of Pneumatic Actuators”. Proceedings of the 2003 American Control Conference (ACC), Vol. 2, 4-6 June 2003, pp. 1710-1714.
  1. E. J. Barth, M. Goldfarb. “A Control Design Method for Switching Systems with Application to Pneumatic Systems”. 2002 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE), IMECE2002-33424, November 17-22, 2002, New Orleans, LA.
  1. E. J. Barth, J. Zhang, M. Goldfarb. “Sliding Mode Approach to PWM-Controlled Pneumatic Systems”. Proceedings of the 2002 American Control Conference (ACC), 8-10 May 2002, pp. 2362-2367.
  1. E. J. Barth, J. Zhang, M. Goldfarb. “A Method for the Frequency Domain Design of PWM-Controlled Pneumatic Systems”. Proceedings of IMECE2001, Volume 2: 2001 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE), IMECE2001/DSC-24567, 2001, November 11-16, 2001, New York, New York.

Modeling and Control of Pneumatic Actuation

Pneumatic actuation presents a number of features not seen in typical robotic actuators. These features include a high mass specific power density relative to electromagnetic actuators, inherent compliance and backdrivability, and the ability to controllably store and regenerate absorbed mechanical power. To fully exploit these unique features, model-based control methodologies needed to be developed. Our work makes contributions with regard to 1) model-based energetically derived control methodologies for proportionally controlled pneumatic actuation systems, 2) nonlinear observers to reduce the number of feedback sensors required, and 3) switching and PWM control methodologies for the use of inexpensive and simple on/off valves for motion control.

 

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