Artificial Muscle and Human Postural Stability

This study aimed to develop an artificial muscle which could be applied to artificial limbs. The technological fruits of this study were transferred to the studies of biped walking robots (WAP series) and above knee prostheses.




Before Injection of
Compressed Air (1968)


After Injection of
Compressed Air (1968)

Rubber Artificial Muscle (1967~1968)


Rubber Artificial Muscle(1967~1968) An artificial muscle was developed from the rubber imbedded in several threads along a longitudinal axis so that it contracted longitudinally due to lateral constraint by the threads.




WAM-4 (1972)

Model for Postural Control (1967~1968)


A biped-walking machine will be required to sustain its stability while standing and walking unassisted. Hence as a first step in developing a biped walking machine, a two-bar linked inverted pendulum was constructed and control strategies for holding its balance while standing were experiment any investigated.




WAM-6 (1980)

Pouch-Type Artificial Muscle (1970)

An artificial muscle, which would serve as a rotational actuator for prostheses, was developed. It was made of double boards connected by a hinge and an airtight rubber pouch the expansion of which was constrained by nylon so as to generate torque around the hinge.



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