An Innovative Actuation Concept for a New Hybrid Robotic System

In this article a novel actuation concept of robotic manipulators is presented. The concept is based on an innovative extension of gravity balancing techniques using passive elements. It allows to exert, at the level of the end effector, a force of variable intensity and generic spatial orientation without any motor torque required during any movement of the manipulator, except when a change of the exerted force’s intensity and/or orientation is requested. So, a new hybrid machine can be realized combining the benefits of active and passive existing systems without their drawbacks, with possible very high potentials in robotics applications.