Control apparatus, control method, and control program for pneumatic artificial muscle drive mechanism

A control apparatus for a pneumatic artificial muscle drive mechanism driven by a pneumatic artificial muscle, the control apparatus comprising:

• a desired pressure calculator that calculates, based on a pneumatic artificial muscle model, a desired pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle in order to control motion of the drive mechanism;
• a pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator that estimates aging variation in a contraction percentage error between the pneumatic artificial muscle and the pneumatic artificial muscle model;
• a pressure controller that controls pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle based on information from the desired pressure calculator or information from the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator;
• and
• a lifetime predictor that predicts a lifetime of the pneumatic artificial muscle based on an estimation result of the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator.

A method of controlling a pneumatic artificial muscle drive mechanism driven by a pneumatic artificial muscle, the method comprising:

• calculating at a desired pressure calculator, based on a pneumatic artificial muscle model, a desired pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle in order to control motion of the drive mechanism;
• estimating at a pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator, aging variation in a contraction percentage error between the pneumatic artificial muscle and the pneumatic artificial muscle model;
• controlling at a pressure controller, pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle based on information from the desired pressure calculator or information from the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator;
• and
• updating at a pneumatic artificial muscle model updater, the pneumatic artificial muscle model so as to reflect the aging variation based on an estimation result of the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator.

A method of controlling a pneumatic artificial muscle drive mechanism driven by a pneumatic artificial muscle, the method comprising:

• calculating at a desired pressure calculator, based on a pneumatic artificial muscle model, a desired pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle in order to control motion of the drive mechanism;
• estimating at a pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator, aging variation in a contraction percentage error between the pneumatic artificial muscle and the pneumatic artificial muscle model;
• controlling at a pressure controller, pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle based on information from the desired pressure calculator or information from the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator;
• and
• predicting at a lifetime predictor, a lifetime of the pneumatic artificial muscle based on an estimation result of the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator.

A computer-readable recording medium including a control program for a pneumatic artificial muscle drive mechanism driven by a pneumatic artificial muscle,

• the control program causing a computer to function as:
• a desired pressure calculator that calculates, based on a pneumatic artificial muscle model, a desired pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle in order to control motion of the drive mechanism;
• a pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator that estimates aging variation in a contraction percentage error between the pneumatic artificial muscle and the pneumatic artificial muscle model;
• a pressure controller that controls pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle based on information from the desired pressure calculator or information from the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator;
• and
• a pneumatic artificial muscle model updater that updates the pneumatic artificial muscle model so as to reflect the aging variation based on an estimation result of the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator.

A computer-readable recording medium including a control program for a pneumatic artificial muscle drive mechanism driven by a pneumatic artificial muscle,

• the control program causing a computer to function as:
• a desired pressure calculator that calculates, based on a pneumatic artificial muscle model, a desired pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle in order to control motion of the drive mechanism;
• a pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator that estimates aging variation in a contraction percentage error between the pneumatic artificial muscle and the pneumatic artificial muscle model;
• a pressure controller that controls pressure of the pneumatic artificial muscle based on information from the desired pressure calculator or information from the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator;
• and
• a lifetime predictor that predicts a lifetime of the pneumatic artificial muscle based on an estimation result of the pneumatic artificial muscle model error estimator.