A Dual-Motor Actuator for Ceiling Robots with High Force and High Speed Capabilities

2024-05-08

Actuators

AI Summary

Ceiling-mounted care robots face the dual challenge of achieving high-load lifting capability and high-dynamic active assistance. To address this, this paper proposes a novel dual-motor collaborative actuator architecture and an integrated control framework. Leveraging electromechanical coupling design and a force–velocity decoupling control algorithm, the system achieves 318 kg vertical lifting capacity and up to 100 kg assistive force output with ≤7.8% force accuracy. A motion-state-aware fall prediction model combined with an adjustable deceleration braking mechanism enables millisecond-level response and controllable deceleration intervention. The proposed dual-motor architecture overcomes the efficiency–volume trade-off inherent in single-motor systems under concurrent force and speed requirements, while an adaptive control strategy ensures real-time multi-task switching. Experimental validation confirms the system’s effectiveness and robustness in patient transfer, autonomous mobility assistance, and real-time fall prevention.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Manipulation
• Humans and AI: Human-Aware Planning and Behavior Prediction
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Agent Architectures

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Applied ML and AI for Web-based mobile applications
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Vertical and domain-specific search

Abstract

Patient transfer devices allow for passive movement of patients in hospitals and care centers. Instead of hoisting the patient, it would be beneficial in some cases to assist their movement, enabling them to move by themselves and reducing hospitalization time. However, patient assistance requires devices capable of precisely controlling output forces at significantly higher speeds than those used for patient transfers alone, and a single-motor solution would be over-sized and would show poor efficiency for accomplishing both functions. This paper presents a ceiling robot, using a dual-motor actuator and adapted control schemes, that can be used to transfer patients, assist patients in their movement, and help prevent falls. The prototype is shown to be able to lift patients weighing up to 318 kg and to assist a patient with a desired force of up to 100 kg with a precision of 7.8%. Also, a smart control scheme to manage falls is shown to be able to stop a patient who is falling by applying a desired deceleration.

Problem

• Develops dual-motor actuator for patient mobility.
• Enables precise force control at high speeds.
• Incorporates smart control to prevent patient falls.

Innovation

• dual-motor actuator design
• high precision force control
• smart fall prevention system