Modeling and control for PAM-actuated robots: an overview

Abstract With the increasing integration of robots into various fields such as industry, agriculture, specialized industries, and home services, research on human–robot coexistence and collaboration has become more urgent, which is crucial for enhancing the operational capabilities of robots and ensuring personal safety. As a kind of soft actuator with smart structures, pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs), known for their high power-to-weight ratio, ease of installation, clean energy usage, and resistance to electromagnetic interference, can form a series of PAM-actuated robots combined with rigid robotic architecture, endowing them with the ability to coordinate rigidity and flexibility. Recent advancements in the modeling and control methods of PAM-actuated robots have significantly improved their practical application value. However, there is a lack of systematic and structured review papers that explore the differences and connections among various modeling and control methods for PAM-actuated robots, and analyze the progression of their development. This paper will provide a detailed discussion of the key characteristics of various modeling and controller design for PAM-actuated robots, and offer guidance for the next generation of research directions in this field.