Numerical analysis of feedforward position control for non-pulley musculoskeletal system: A case study of muscular arrangements of a two-link planar system with six muscles

In a musculoskeletal system like a tendon-driven robot, redundant actuation is necessary because muscles (or mechanical parts such as tendons) can transmit tension only unidirectionally. This redundancy yields internal force among muscles, which has a particular field of potential energy. Using internal force as a feedforward input, a musculoskeletal system can achieve feedforward position control with no sensory feedback. This paper studies the feedforward position control coming from the redundancy for a non-pulley musculoskeletal system. Targeting a planar two-link system with six muscles as a case study, the motion convergence depending on the muscular arrangement is examined quasi-statically. The results point out that the convergence is extremely sensitive to the muscular arrangement, and adding small offsets for the muscular connected points can remarkably improve the positioning performance.