SAQIEL: Ultra-Light and Safe Manipulator with Passive 3D Wire Alignment Mechanism

Title: SAQIEL: Ultra-Light and Safe Manipulator with Passive 3D Wire Alignment Mechanism Authors: Temma Suzuki, Masahiro Bando, Kento Kawaharazuka, Kei Okada and Masayuki Inaba Accepted at RAL2024 website - arxiv - Improving the safety of collaborative manipulators necessitates the reduction of inertia in the moving part. Within this paper, we introduce a novel approach in the form of a passive 3D wire aligner, serving as a lightweight and low-friction power transmission mechanism, thus achieving the desired low inertia in the manipulator’s operation. Through the utilization of this innovation, the consolidation of hefty actuators onto the root link becomes feasible, consequently enabling a supple drive characterized by minimal friction. To demonstrate the efficacy of this device, we fabricate an ultralight 7 degrees of freedom (DoF) manipulator named SAQIEL, boasting a mere 1.5 kg weight for its moving components. Notably, to mitigate friction within SAQIEL’s actuation system, we employ a distinctive mechanism that directly winds wires using motors, obviating the need for traditional gear or belt-based speed reduction mechanisms. Through a series of empirical trials, we substantiate that SAQIEL adeptly strikes balance between lightweight design, substantial payload capacity, elevated velocity, precision, and adaptability.