Control of a Robotic Exercise Machine

Abstract

Exercise devices provide a means of resisting user applied forces for purposes of improving physical performance. The characteristics of the device include its path of motion and the functional relationship between applied force and ensuing motion. The characteristics of machines have in the past been limited to those achievable with mechanisms whose motions are resisted by passive prings, masses and frictional devices. A great increase in the number practically achievable characteristics is provided by the servo controlled exercise machines of the type discussed in this paper. The benefits, objectives and prototype configuration are briefly described followed by a discussion of the control algorithms used on a prototype machine and the performance obtained.