Master Thesis Proposal - General idea

Development of mathematical model and control analysis for a

robotic manipulator used for rehabilitation purposes

Jean Carlo Grandas Franco

Escuela de ingeniería mecánica

July 11, 2020

1. Organization

I Motivation
I Mathematical model
I General objective
I Methodology
1. Problem approach

Robotic arms are widely used for medical treatments, however, the
fact that the mathematical model governing a robotic arm is a
significantly non-linear system, the whole control statements ought
to work on error linearization or non-linear control.
Since there is a huge ethical background behind treating patients
with robotics, controlling the system plays a crucial role in the
whole system design, thus, error signals must be keep at their lowest
taking into consideration that a physically possible controlling (in
term of energy costs for example) needs to be developed.
1. Problem approach

a) At the left, the number of articles generated by year for this topic
is shown on the left. b) On the right, the citation map is presented.
2. Motivation

I Main motivation of this project consist on contributing to the

development of rehabilitation prototypes in order assist
medical staff for treatment of patients with stroke.
I Also, the treatment of post-stroke patients, who are very likely
to experience reduced arm mobility is part of the focus for the
development and how these accidents tend to increase,
motivates the development of rehabilitation strategies.
I There are many mathematical models for robotic arms of
different types. However, the implemented control is a matter
of studies as well, considering the importance of replying a
given trajectory accurately and the given torque as a
compensation of weight.
2. General objective of thesis

Defining a mathematical model based on the physics of a robotic

arm implemented for rehabilitation and developing a control
strategy based on the desired kinematic and kinetic variables.
3. Methodology

I Define a mathematical model for the system consisting of two

robotic links and actuators.
I Define motion equations of the robotic arm by using
Euler-Lagrange equations.
I Define the actuator (Motors) dynamics.
I Implement a control strategy for arm motion and torque
I Two or more control strategies need to be applied. Possibilities
for this are RQL, PID or any non-linear control strategy.
I Determining a proper performance/energy cost ration.
I Validations of the system
I A validation could by done by implementing the control on a
real prototype and thus check it for functionality.
3. Methodology
The robotic arm model should be the one shown as follows,
consisting on two revolutes, considering that the focus of
rehabilitation is compensating arm weight or the potential energy
resulting from movement.

Both revolutes are driven by electric motor devices, whose torques

are directly related to current.
3. Methodology
A mathematical model must be derived based on the physical
quantities that need to be observed during the rehabilitation
process. These are normally the angular position, velocity and
supplied current to the motors, which is linked to the given torque.
 T
x = θ θ̇ I
The equations governing the arm movement can be derived from
the Newton or Euler-Lagrange analysis, resulting thus in an
equation system of the form.

M(θ)θ̈ + N(θ, θ̇) + G (θ) = τ

,
Where θ is the output vector, M is the symmetric inertia matrix, N
account for centripetal and coriolis terms and G includes all
gravity-related actions.
3. Methodology

The torque given by the joins is related to the current

independently on whether it is a DC or AC Motor. For both cases
however, dynamics is different
.
For DC-Motor it applies, for example, that:

dI
U = IR + L + KI θ̇
dt

τ = KI I
3. Methodology

Great part of the investigations problem consist on determining

which control strategy might be the best to deliver the desired
results for movement and compensation torques/forces. Among the
possibilities, PID and RQL might be used, however, the system is
expected to be non-linear, which requires linearization processes to
be applied to feedback or implementing any other non-linear control
method.
For linear control model, the goal is to rewrite the system in a
state-variable representation.

ẋ = Ax + Bu
y = Cx
3. Methodology

The behavior of the entire system must be simulated in both

MatLab and simulink, and if necessary, tested on a real prototype
with specific properties. Also, since the model needs to be
implemented on a prototype used for medical purposes, the design
of a observer to keep the determine the error dynamics might be
necessary.

e(t) = x(t) − x̃(t)

ė = (A − Ke C )e
4. Bibliography

I Just, F., 2020. Human Arm Weight Compensation In

Rehabilitation Robotics: Efficacy Of Three Distinct Methods.
Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation.
I Assad-Uz-Zaman, M., Rasedul Islam, M., Miah, S. and
Rahman, M., 2019. NAO robot for cooperative rehabilitation
training. Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies
Engineering, 6, p.205566831986215.
I Murray, Richard, M., Li, Z. A Mathematical Introduction to
Robotic Manipulation. 1994. CRC Press.
I Feedback linearization control of a two-link robot using a
multi-crossover genetic algorithm 2009Jian Liung Chen,
Wei-Der Chang10.1016/j.eswa.2008.01.048Expert Systems
with Applications