ACTUATORS (ISSN 2076-0825; CODEN: ACTUC3) 是关于执行器和控制系统科学和技术的国际开放获取期刊，由 MDPI 每季度在线出版。

Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825; CODEN: ACTUC3) is an international open-access journal that focuses on the science and technology of actuators and control systems, published online quarterly by MDPI.

《Actuators》（ISSN 2076-0825；CODEN: ACTUC3）是一本国际开放获取期刊，专注于执行器和控制系统的科学与技术，由MDPI每季度在线出版。

Actuators

Robotic exoskeletons are being actively applied to support the activities of daily living (ADL) for patients with hand motion impairments. In terms of actuation, soft materials and sensors have opened new alternatives to conventional rigid body structures. In this arena, biomimetic soft systems play an important role in modeling and controlling human hand kinematics without the restrictions of rigid mechanical joints while having an entirely deformable body with limitless points of actuation. In this paper, we address the computational limitations of modeling large-scale articulated systems for soft robotic exoskeletons by integrating a parallel algorithm to compute the exoskeleton’s dynamics equations of motion (EoM), achieving a computation with O(log2n) complexity for the highly articulated n degrees of freedom (DoF) running on p processing cores. The proposed parallel algorithm achieves an exponential speedup for n=p=64 DoF while achieving a 0.96 degree of parallelism for n=p=256, which demonstrates the required scalability for controlling highly articulated soft exoskeletons in real time. However, scalability will be bounded by the n=p fraction.

Julian D. Colorado

Diego Mendez

Andres Gomez-Bautista

John E. Bermeo

Catalina Alvarado-Rojas

Fredy Cuellar

Scalable O(log2n) Dynamics Control for Soft Exoskeletons

软外骨骼的可扩展O(log2n)动力学控制

The pointing and positioning accuracy of precision instruments in aerospace are often disturbed by low-frequency vibrations. An active/passive vibration isolation system is a feasible solution to suppress low-frequency vibrations. However, the vibration isolation performance of the active control strategy is seriously affected by the uncertainty of the system and the difficulty to meet the higher requirements of new-generation equipment. This paper proposes an active composite control (ACC) strategy for vibration isolation systems with uncertainty. The proposed ACC integrates feedforward control based on known systems and feedback control based on the Kalman filter for systems with uncertainty. Further, the derivation and stability analyses of the proposed ACC algorithm are provided, and the influence of system uncertainty on vibration isolation performance based on the proposed ACC is analyzed. Experimental verification is conducted and the experimental results confirm that the proposed ACC can effectively realize the low-frequency and wide-band vibration isolation for the system with uncertainty. Starting from 30 Hz, the vibration isolation performance of the proposed ACC with uncertainty is significantly improved than that of the ACC completely based on a deterministic system model.

Zhijun Zhu

Yong Xiao

Minrui Zhou

Yongqiang Li

Dianlong Yu

Active Composite Control of Disturbance Compensation for Vibration Isolation System with Uncertainty

不确定条件下振动隔离系统的主动复合控制扰动补偿

In this work, a fixed-time leader-following event-triggered (ET) consensus problem for multi-agent systems (MASs) with external disturbances is investigated. A distributed observer is developed to achieve the estimated state of the leader. By means of the observation information, the consensus error system for multi-agents is reformulated into a tracking error system, wherein individual follower agent aims to track the leader agent. Building upon Lyapunov technology and fixed-time stability theory, a new ET protocol is introduced to mitigate communication wastes. Notably, the proposed controller incorporates a strong robust fixed-time control form with lower complexity, and a reliable dynamic triggering condition also ensures the excellent performance of the system. Rigorous demonstrations underscore the stability and robustness of the ET method, while guaranteeing the avoidance of Zeno behavior. Finally, several numerical simulations are provided to underscore the efficacy of the proposed protocols.

Cheng Ge

Ling Ma

Shoulin Xu

Distributed Fixed-Time Leader-Following Consensus for Multi-Agent Systems: An Event-Triggered Mechanism

多智能体系统分布式固定时间领导者跟随一致性：一种事件触发机制

In order to improve the observation accuracy of rotor positions in the sensorless control of permanent magnet synchronous motors and to simplify the parameter adjustment process, this paper proposes an improved finite-time adaptive super-twisting sliding mode observer. First, a linear gain term is introduced into the conventional super-twisting sliding mode observer model as a way of improving the identification accuracy of the observer. Then, for the multi-parameter variable problem in the traditional observer model, a rotational speed variable function design is presented, which simplifies the multi-variables into a single adaptive variable. This reduces the complexity of the observer model while further improving the observation accuracy and stability of the improved observer algorithm (which is verified using Lyapunov’s stability theory). A new back EMF filter and an adaptive phase-locked loop are then used to improve the model’s speed tracking capability. Finally, through simulation and experimental tests, the improved algorithm’s ability to quickly observe changes in rotor position and speed, as well as its fast convergence, small jitter and high accuracy characteristics, are verified.

Mingchen Luan

Jiuhong Ruan

Yun Zhang

Haitao Yan

Long Wang

An Improved Adaptive Finite-Time Super-Twisting Sliding Mode Observer for the Sensorless Control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors

一种改进的自适应有限时间超扭滑模观测器用于永磁同步电机无传感器控制

This study presents a novel image-based visual servoing fault-tolerant control strategy aimed at ensuring the successful completion of visual servoing tasks despite the presence of robotic arm actuator faults. Initially, a depth-independent image-based visual servoing model is established to mitigate the effects of inaccurate camera parameters and missing depth information on the system. Additionally, a robotic arm dynamic model is constructed, which simultaneously considers both multiplicative and additive actuator faults. Subsequently, model uncertainties, unknown disturbances, and coupled actuator faults are consolidated as centralized uncertainties, and an iterative learning fault observer is designed to estimate them. Based on this, suitable sliding surfaces and control laws are developed within the super-twisting sliding mode visual servo controller to rapidly reduce control deviation to near zero and circumvent the chattering phenomenon typically observed in traditional sliding mode control. Finally, through comparative simulation between different control strategies, the proposed method is shown to effectively counteract the effect of actuator faults and exhibit robust performance.

Jiashuai Li

Xiuyan Peng

Bing Li

Mingze Li

Jiawei Wu

Image-Based Visual Servoing for Three Degree-of-Freedom Robotic Arm with Actuator Faults

基于图像的视觉伺服控制用于带执行器故障的三自由度机械臂

Many stroke patients develop ankle deformities due to neurological or non-neurological factors, resulting in abnormal gait patterns. While Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) are commonly used to address these issues, few are specifically designed for ankle varus. The Elastic Neutral Ankle-Foot Orthosis (EN-AFO) was developed for this purpose. This study aimed to analyze changes in kinematic and kinetic gait data in stroke patients with ankle varus, comparing those walking with and without EN-AFO in both AFO and No-AFO groups. Initially, 30 stroke patients with ankle varus were screened; after exclusions, 17 were included in the final analysis. In the No-AFO group, EN-AFO significantly improved maximal ankle inversion on the affected side during the swing phase (from 4.63 ± 13.26 to 10.56 ± 11.40, p = 0.025). Similarly, in the AFO group, EN-AFO led to a significant improvement in maximal ankle inversion on the less-affected side during the swing phase (from 7.95 ± 10.11 to 12.01 ± 8.64, p = 0.021). Additionally, ground reaction forces on the affected side of the AFO group significantly increased at both the forefoot (from 182.76 ± 61.45 to 211.55 ± 70.57, p = 0.038) and hindfoot (from 210.67 ± 107.88 to 231.85 ± 105.38, p = 0.038) with EN-AFO. Conversely, maximal and minimal thoracic axial rotation on the affected side improved significantly in the No-AFO group compared to the AFO group with EN-AFO, during both the stance and swing phases (stance phase: max improvement from −1.13 ± 1.80 to 4.83 ± 8.05, min improvement from −1.06 ± 2.45 to 5.89 ± 7.56; swing phase: max improvement from −1.33 ± 2.13 to 5.49 ± 7.82, min improvement from −1.24 ± 2.43 to 5.95 ± 7.12; max p = 0.034, min p = 0.016 during stance; max p = 0.027, min p = 0.012 during swing). Furthermore, both maximal and minimal thoracic axial rotation on the less-affected side during the swing phase improved significantly in the No-AFO group (max improvement from −2.09 ± 4.18 to 6.04 ± 6.90, min improvement from −0.47 ± 2.13 to 8.18 ± 10.45; max p = 0.027, min p = 0.012) compared with the AFO group. These findings suggest that EN-AFO may effectively improve gait in stroke patients with ankle varus in the No-AFO group.

Du-Jin Park

Young-In Hwang

Changes of Ankle Motion and Ground Reaction Force Using Elastic Neutral AFO in Neurological Patients with Inverted Foot During Gait

神经病变性足下垂患者步态中使用弹性中性踝足矫形器对踝关节运动和地面反作用力的变化

The electric-tracked intelligent detection device is extensively used in engineering exploration and construction. However, in unstructured and complex terrains, its stability is challenged by a high center of gravity and poor road conditions, making the enhancement of its stability analysis crucial. This study is based on tracked vehicle models, constructing kinematic and dynamic equations for the device, and developing virtual and physical prototypes. Combining theoretical analysis, virtual simulations, and physical testing, the study analyzes motion parameters under typical conditions through numerical calculations and simulations. It examines the device’s dynamic characteristics during rapid turns in unstructured terrains. The research identifies variations in motion parameters, determines dynamic stability thresholds, and refines stability analysis methods applicable to the device, establishing evaluation criteria with multiple parameters and weight vectors. In conclusion, the developed models and prototypes help us understand the electric-tracked intelligent detection device’s dynamic characteristics and instability thresholds, enhancing its stability and operational efficiency and providing a theoretical foundation for related engineering machinery development.

Yitian Wang

Huazhen Liu

Linsen Song

Longkai Liang

Yiwen Zhang

Zhenglei Yu

Chunbai Liu

Yanzhong Hao

Meichao Xu

Xinming Zhang

Siying Li

Analysis of the Driving Stability of a Multi-Model Driven Electric-Tracked Intelligent Detection Device

多模驱动电动履带式智能检测装置的驱动稳定性分析

Steel gates are widely used in river and sea engineering to ensure water retention and flow regulation. Due to the attachment and the alternation of dry and wet environments, water retention easily causes corrosion and destruction, while the attachment is mainly cleaned manually at present. Based on stable adsorption, wall adaptability, and movement ability, a split four-track cleaning robot was developed. The split structure combined with a body swing and torsion mechanism can increase the degree of freedom of attitude adjustment and realize stable crawling of the curved panel. Considering the impact force of the water jet during cleaning, mechanical analysis of robot instability and driving torque on a curved surface was constructed to solve the problem of safe adsorption and flexible movement. A remote control system is constructed to complete the cleaning operation, and the coordination relationship between cleaning and crawling speed is analyzed. The performance test results show that the robot can crawl flexibly and stably on a curved surface, and the crawling speed can be greater than 0.052 m/s when the load is less than 5 kg. A continuous cleaning process has an obvious effect on silt and shellfish attachments, and the robot can meet the actual operational needs. The design process can help in the development of this kind of robot.

Zhenhua Duan

Guisheng Fang

Gaoping Shi

Heng Qian

Jiayi Cui

Junhao Zhang

The Design and Performance Investigation of a Split Four-Track Water-Jet Cleaning Robot for Steel Gate Panels

钢闸门面板分体式四轨水射流清洗机器人设计与性能研究

In order to improve the control performance of the position sensorless control system of permanent magnet synchronous motors and to reduce the influence of external uncertainties on the control system, such as inertia ingestion and load disturbance, this paper proposes a novel position sensorless control algorithm for permanent magnet synchronous motors based on an interleaved parallel extended sliding mode observer. Firstly, in order to identify the time-varying moment of inertia, load torque and viscous friction coefficient of the system, a novel interleaved parallel extended sliding mode observer based on a single-observer model is proposed, and a robust activator is designed to reduce the coupling between the parameters to be measured. Then, a new predefined-time sliding mode controller is designed for the face-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor using sliding film control theory, which improves the response speed and control accuracy of the system. Then, the proposed novel interleaved parallel extended sliding mode observer and predefined-time sliding mode controller are used to design the permanent magnet synchronous motor control system, and the stability of the system is proved using the Lyapunov stability theorem. Finally, through simulation analysis and experimental tests, it is verified that the control strategy proposed in this paper can improve the identification accuracy of the motor parameters, reduce the time of identification, and improve the control accuracy and tracking speed.

Yongwu Guo

Huihui Min

Research on the Mechanical Parameter Identification and Controller Performance of Permanent Magnet Motors Based on Sensorless Control

基于无传感器控制的无刷电机机械参数辨识与控制器性能研究

This review will examine the rapidly growing field of soft robotics, with a special emphasis on soft robotic actuators and their applications in bioengineering. Bioengineering has increasingly utilized soft robotics due to their mechanical adaptability and flexibility, with applications including drug delivery, assistive and wearable devices, artificial organs, and prosthetics. Soft robotic applications, as well as the responsive mechanisms employed in soft robotics, include electrical, magnetic, thermal, photo-responsive, and pressure-driven actuators. Special attention is given to hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators due to their biomimetic properties and innovative combination of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) and hydraulic actuators, which eliminates the limitations of each actuator while introducing capabilities such as self-healing. HASEL actuators combine the fast response and self-sensing features of DEAs, as well as the force generation and adaptability of hydraulic systems. Their self-healing ability from electrical damage not only makes HASELs a unique technology among others but also makes them promising for long-term bioengineering applications. A key contribution of this study is the comparative analysis of the soft actuators, presented in detailed tables. The performance of soft actuators is assessed against a common set of critical parameters, including specific power, strain, maximum actuation stress, energy efficiency, cycle life, and self-healing capabilities. This study has also identified some important research gaps and potential areas where soft robotics may still be developed in the future. Future research should focus on improvements in power supply design, long-term material durability, and enhanced energy efficiency. This review will serve as an intermediate reference for researchers and system designers, guiding the next generation of advancements in soft robotics within bioengineering.

Osura Perera

Ranjith Liyanapathirana

Gaetano Gargiulo

Upul Gunawardana

A Review of Soft Robotic Actuators and Their Applications in Bioengineering, with an Emphasis on HASEL Actuators’ Future Potential

软体机器人执行器及其在生物工程中的应用综述，重点探讨HASEL执行器的未来潜力

Abbreviation
Journal Impact	2.10
Quartiles(Global)	INSTRUMENTS & INSTRUMENTATION(Q2)

Publication Information	Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)，Publishing cycle: ，Journal Type: journal，Open Access Journals: Yes
Basic data	Year of publication: 2012，Proportion of original research papers: 97.11%，Self Citation Rate:13.60%， Gold OA Rate: 99.58%
Journal Fees	$Details
Average review cycle	网友分享经验：11 Weeks

Actuators

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