Bionic fingers and hand-driven control devices, bionic hand control methods, robots

Abstract

This application discloses a bionic finger and hand drive control device, a bionic hand control method, and a robot, belonging to the field of bionic robot technology. It includes at least one flexible bionic muscle cooperator, arranged along the length of the phalanx structure. One end serves as a fixed end connected to the finger adapter base of the phalanx structure, and the other end serves as a free end connected to the phalanx structure via a force transmission path. A drive unit, electrically connected to the flexible bionic muscle cooperator, is configured to apply a driving electric field to the flexible bionic muscle cooperator. The drive unit transmits motion output to the phalanx structure through its free end, driving the phalanx structure to produce smooth motion consistent with the characteristics of human finger movement. This solution solves the problems of uneven output force and abrupt changes in the single artificial muscle actuator by adapting the cooperator to the phalanx structure and through the coordinated drive of multiple internal components, achieving continuous, compliant, and controllable bionic flexion motion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of bionic robot technology, specifically to a bionic finger and hand drive control device, a bionic hand control method, and a robot. Background Technology

[0002] Bionic robots, as an important branch of robotics, aim to mimic the movement characteristics and structural features of living organisms to achieve more efficient and compliant operation capabilities. Among them, the bionic hand (including dexterous hands) serves as a key end effector for robot interaction with the environment, and its performance directly determines the robot's operational flexibility and adaptability. Bionic hands need to achieve complex multi-degree-of-freedom movements within a compact space, while simultaneously considering multiple performance indicators such as gripping force, compliance, and response speed. In recent years, with the rapid development of service robots, medical rehabilitation robots, and industrial collaborative robots, the demand for bionic hand actuators with high biomimicry, good compliance, and precise control capabilities has become increasingly urgent.

[0003] In current applications, the driving methods for bionic hands mainly include motor drive, pneumatic drive, and artificial muscle drive. While motor drive can achieve precise position control, its rigid structure makes it difficult to simulate the compliant characteristics of biological muscles, and its transmission mechanism is complex and bulky. Pneumatic drive has good compliance, but requires an external air source, has low system integration, and limited response speed. Regarding artificial muscle drive, actuators made of a single type of electro-actuating material (such as ionomer-metal composites (IPMC), dielectric elastomers (DEA), or shape memory alloys (SMA)) have emerged. These actuators can produce contraction or bending deformation under electric field or temperature excitation. However, existing single artificial muscle actuators are usually composed of homogeneous materials, with a single deformation mode and output force curves that often exhibit nonlinearity or hysteresis, making it difficult to simulate the temporal recruitment mechanism of different motor units in biological muscles. Specifically, biological muscles are composed of various muscle fibers with different mechanical properties. Contractile force is smoothly established and decayed through the sequential activation of different motor units. However, existing artificial muscle actuators cannot achieve multi-unit coordination, resulting in a noticeable step-like sensation when driving finger joint movements, making it difficult to produce smooth bending that matches the flexion characteristics of human fingers. Furthermore, existing actuators have a single form of motion output, failing to couple and coordinate multiple deformation modes within a single actuator, thus limiting the diversity and flexibility of grasping movements in bionic hands. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the technical problem that existing robotic hand drive solutions described in the background art cannot simulate the temporal recruitment characteristics of biological muscles, resulting in unsmooth output motion, a single deformation mode, and difficulty in achieving smooth bending that conforms to the flexion motion characteristics of human fingers, this application provides a bionic finger and hand drive control device, a bionic hand control method, and a robot.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a bionic finger drive control device for use in a robotic bionic finger. The robotic bionic finger includes a knuckle structure. The device includes: at least one flexible bionic muscle cooperator disposed along the length direction of the knuckle structure, one end of which is fixed and connected to a finger adapter base of the knuckle structure, and the other end of which is free and connected to the knuckle structure via a force transmission path; a drive unit electrically connected to the flexible bionic muscle cooperator and configured to apply a drive electric field to the flexible bionic muscle cooperator; wherein the flexible bionic muscle cooperator includes: multiple strip-shaped members, the strip-shaped members being made of an electroactuated material capable of active deformation under electric field excitation, and exhibiting deformation behavior at least under electric field excitation. It exhibits anisotropy; multiple strip-shaped components are divided into multiple component groups, each component group including at least one strip-shaped component, and the multiple component groups include at least a first component group and a second component group, with the axial stiffness of the first component group being higher than that of the second component group; the first component group and the second component group are coupled through a preset force transmission structure, and in response to the driving electric field applied by the driving unit, the first driving force generated by the first component group including a first deformation and the second driving force generated by the second component group including a second deformation cooperate with each other in space to generate motion output; the flexible bionic muscle coordinator is configured to: transmit the motion output to the knuckle structure through its free end, driving the knuckle structure to generate smooth movement that conforms to the movement characteristics of human fingers.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the difference in axial stiffness between the first component group and the second component group is achieved by at least one of the following methods: the ratio of the elastic modulus of the first component group to the elastic modulus of the second component group is greater than 3:1 and less than 20:1; the cross-sectional geometric dimensions of the strip members of the first component group and the second component group are different; the product of the elastic modulus and the cross-sectional area of ​​the strip members of the first component group and the second component group are different; and the lengths of the strip members of the first component group and the second component group are different.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the first component group and the second component group are controlled by the driving unit through independent electrode circuits. The driving unit is configured to apply driving electric fields with different start times and / or different durations to the first component group and the second component group, so that the first deformation generated by the first component group and the second deformation generated by the second component group form a preset sequential or superimposed relationship in time, thereby realizing the smooth establishment and attenuation of the contraction force during the axial contraction of the cooperative body.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the knuckle structure includes a flexible skeleton structure having at least one degree of buckling freedom.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator is configured to mimic the flexor tendon of a human finger, wherein the axial stiffness difference between the first and second component groups within it is set to simulate the stiffness difference between different tendon bundles in the flexor tendon; based on the stiffness difference, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator responds to a driving electric field to generate a wave-like contraction wave transmitted from the fixed end to the free end, thereby driving the phalanx structure through the free end to achieve a curling flexion action.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the device includes a plurality of flexible bionic muscle coordinators, each used to simulate the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon and the flexor digitorum profundus tendon; the drive unit is configured to independently apply an electric field excitation to each of the flexible bionic muscle coordinators; the plurality of flexible bionic muscle coordinators, in response to the electric field excitation, respectively drive different phalanges in the phalangeal structure; the independent control of the plurality of flexible bionic muscle coordinators by the drive unit controls the independent flexion control or coordinated flexion of different phalanges in the phalangeal structure.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the first deformation includes contraction or elongation, and the second deformation includes bending; the first deformation and the second deformation work together to produce at least one of torsional, helical, or oscillating motions.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first component group and the second component group have a preset first spatial structure relationship, which includes at least one of the following: first attachment type: at least one strip-shaped component in the second component group is attached longitudinally to the surface of at least one strip-shaped component in the first component group; first covering type: at least one strip-shaped component in the second component group covers the outer periphery of at least one strip-shaped component in the first component group in a spiral or woven manner; first embedding type: at least one strip-shaped component in the second component group is embedded inside at least one strip-shaped component in the first component group to form a core-skin structure; first interval type: the first component group and the second component group are alternately spaced on a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator integrates a sensing unit for real-time sensing of its deformation or output force; the bionic finger drive control device further includes a control unit that receives feedback signals from the sensing unit and adjusts the electric field parameters applied by the drive unit according to the feedback signals to achieve closed-loop control of the finger bending angle and / or gripping force.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the driving unit is configured such that: when a driving electric field is applied only to the first component group or only to the second component group, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator exhibits a first axial stiffness; when a driving electric field is applied to both the first component group and the second component group simultaneously, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator exhibits a second axial stiffness greater than the first axial stiffness.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the plurality of component groups further includes a third component group, the elastic modulus of which is greater than that of the second component group and less than that of the first component group; the first component group, the third component group, and the second component group have a preset second spatial structural relationship, the second spatial structural relationship including at least one of the following: second attachment type: the third component group is attached to the first component group, and the second component group is attached to the third component group; second covering type: the third component group covers the first component group, and the second component group covers the third component group; second embedded type: the third component group is embedded inside the first component group, and the second component group is embedded inside the third component group; second spaced type: the first component group, the third component group, and the second component group are arranged alternately at intervals on a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the first component group and the second component group are arranged in antagonistic order in space, such that the first driving force generated by the first component group and the second driving force generated by the second component group are mutually antagonistic in their direction of action, and the motion output is generated jointly through the coupling of the preset force transmission structure.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the at least one flexible bionic muscle coordinator includes a first flexible bionic muscle coordinator and a second flexible bionic muscle coordinator; the first flexible bionic muscle coordinator and the second flexible bionic muscle coordinator are arranged in an antagonistic manner in space, such that the driving force generated by the first flexible bionic muscle coordinator and the driving force generated by the second flexible bionic muscle coordinator are mutually antagonistic in the direction of action, and through the coupling of a preset force transmission structure, they jointly drive the knuckle structure to generate motion output.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the driving unit is configured to simultaneously apply a driving electric field to the first component group and the second component group, causing the first component group and the second component group to simultaneously undergo contraction deformation.

[0019] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a bionic hand drive control device. The robotic bionic hand includes a palm simulation structure and multiple bionic fingers, each of which includes a knuckle structure. The device includes: multiple bionic finger drive control devices provided in the first aspect, each of which drives a corresponding bionic finger; and a central drive control module, communicatively connected to the drive unit in each of the bionic finger drive control devices, configured to independently send control commands to each drive unit. The central drive control module is configured to coordinate and control the multiple bionic finger drive control devices so that the multiple bionic fingers collectively perform a motion output consistent with the movement characteristics of a human hand.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the central drive control module is configured to simulate the sequential grasping pattern of a human hand grasping an object by controlling the timing of the electric fields applied to different bionic finger drive control devices, where the fingers sequentially contact and envelop the object.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the central drive control module is configured to control the corresponding bionic finger to flex before applying force or to position before applying force by controlling the timing of the electric field applied to different component groups within the same bionic finger drive control device.

[0022] In one possible implementation, at least one of the flexible bionic muscle coordinators in the bionic finger drive control device, having a preset spatial arrangement relationship and / or stiffness difference between its first component group and second component group, is configured to generate a torsional torque about the finger axis in response to the driving electric field applied by the drive unit under the control of the central drive control module, so that the bionic finger rotates axially while performing a flexion action.

[0023] In one possible implementation, at least one palm drive control device is further included, applied to the palm simulation structure of the robot's bionic hand, the palm simulation structure including a palm arch adjustment mechanism; the palm drive control device includes at least one of the flexible bionic muscle cooperators, the flexible bionic muscle cooperator serving as the drive source for the palm arch adjuster, responding to the deformation generated by the drive electric field applied by the central drive control module, for adjusting the curvature of the transverse arch, longitudinal arch, or oblique arch of the palm arch adjustment mechanism, so as to cooperate with the multiple bionic finger drive control devices to complete the grasping of objects of different shapes.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the central drive control module is configured to: when the bionic hand is in a non-grasping state, control the flexible bionic muscle coordinator in the plurality of bionic finger drive control devices, so that the drive unit applies a drive electric field only to the first component group or only to the second component group; when the bionic hand is in a grasping state, control the flexible bionic muscle coordinator in the plurality of bionic finger drive control devices, so that the drive unit applies a drive electric field to both the first component group and the second component group simultaneously, or increases the applied electric field strength, or changes the applied electric field frequency.

[0025] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a bionic hand control method, applied to the device provided in the first aspect, comprising the following steps:

[0026] In response to a motion command, the drive unit is activated and applies a drive electric field with preset parameters to the flexible bionic muscle coordinator.

[0027] In response to the driving electric field, the first component group and the second component group in the flexible bionic muscle coordinator generate a first deformation and a second deformation respectively under the excitation of the electric field. The two components cooperate with each other in space through a preset force transmission structure to jointly generate motion output, so as to drive the knuckle structure of the bionic finger to produce a smooth movement that conforms to the flexion movement characteristics of human fingers.

[0028] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a robot that integrates the bionic finger drive control device provided in the first aspect or the bionic hand drive control device provided in the second aspect.

[0029] Through the above technical solution, a complete transmission chain from the driving source to the phalanx is constructed by setting the flexible bionic muscle coordinator along the length of the phalanx structure, with its fixed end connected to the finger adapter base and its free end connected to the phalanx structure through a force transmission path. The coordinator is composed of multiple strip-shaped electro-actuated material components with anisotropic deformation characteristics, which are divided into a first component group and a second component group with different axial stiffness. The two are coupled through a preset force transmission structure. When the driving unit applies a driving electric field, the first component group and the second component group respond to the electric field excitation and generate different deformations and driving forces, and cooperate with each other in space through the force transmission structure. Finally, the free end of the coordinator transmits the motion output to the phalanx structure, driving the entire phalanx to produce a smooth bend that conforms to the flexion movement characteristics of human fingers. This solution addresses the problems of uneven output force, abrupt changes, and limited deformation patterns in existing single artificial muscle actuators by adapting the cooperating body to the phalangeal structure and coordinating the drive of multiple internal components. It achieves continuous, compliant, and controllable bionic flexion movements from the drive source to the phalangeal end, providing the bionic hand with a drive capability that more closely resembles the characteristics of biological muscle movements. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a bionic finger-driven control device provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connection and installation of a bionic finger provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the connection structure of a bionic finger-driven control device provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the drive connection of a bionic finger provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a cooperative antagonistic arrangement provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a progressive ball-gripping action of a bionic hand provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a biomimetic hand-twisting bottle cap action provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a bionic hand drive control device provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 9 This is a schematic flowchart of a bionic hand control method provided in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The following embodiments are only used to illustrate this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a bionic finger-driven control device provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0041] In some embodiments, the bionic finger drive control device can be applied to a robotic bionic finger, which may include a finger adapter base whose shape is configured to match the mounting surface profile of a robotic palm or finger; and at least one knuckle structure.

[0042] In some embodiments, the knuckle structure includes a flexible skeleton structure having at least one degree of bending freedom.

[0043] In one embodiment, the flexible skeleton structure can be integrally molded from a flexible polymer material (such as silicone, polyurethane, or thermoplastic elastomer), with embedded hinge structures or flexible hinges simulating joints, allowing it to bend and deform in a specific direction; or it can be composed of multiple rigid phalanges connected in series by elastic hinges, springs, or flexible connectors, forming a rotational pair between adjacent phalanges, thereby achieving one or more degrees of flexion freedom. In one example, it can be a one-piece silicone skeleton, with multiple grooves or variable cross-section regions set along its length to create a "flexible hinge" effect, allowing the skeleton to bend sequentially along preset hinge positions when subjected to tension, simulating the flexion movement of the proximal, middle, and distal phalanges of a human finger. In another example, it can be a multi-segment hinged skeleton, which can adopt a biomimetic design, connecting the proximal, middle, and distal phalanges through pins or flexible membranes, allowing each joint to flex independently, forming two or three degrees of flexion freedom. The inherent flexibility of this flexible skeletal structure allows it to deform in tandem with the driven knuckle structure, avoiding the obstruction of motion output by the rigid structure. This ensures that the smooth motion generated by the flexible bionic muscle collaborator can be smoothly transmitted to the fingertips. Furthermore, by matching the preset flexion degrees of freedom with the motion output direction of the flexible bionic muscle collaborator, it ensures that the tension at the free end of the collaborator is effectively converted into orderly flexion of the knuckles, rather than unrestrained random deformation. For example, when the flexible bionic muscle collaborator is positioned along the palmar side of the skeletal structure and a tension is applied, the flexible hinges or joints on the skeletal structure will flex sequentially from proximal to distal, simulating the "curling" motion of human fingers grasping. When the collaborator is positioned on the dorsal side, it drives the knuckles to extend. For instance, when the flexible skeletal structures of the index finger and thumb are each independently positioned on the palmar side, and the two are simultaneously subjected to tension through a drive unit, the knuckles of the two fingers will flex inwards relative to each other, causing the fingertips to move towards each other in space, forming a gripping action. This flexible skeletal structure provides clear and adaptive deformation guidance for the flexible bionic muscle coordinator, enabling the entire bionic finger to achieve smooth flexion, smooth extension, and smooth clamping, while also possessing lightweight structure, bionic motion, and the ability to buffer against external impacts.

[0044] Reference Figure 1 As shown, the bionic finger drive control device 10 may include at least one flexible bionic muscle cooperator 101 (hereinafter referred to as cooperator) and a drive unit 102.

[0045] At least one flexible bionic muscle coordinator 101 is arranged along the length of the knuckle structure, with one end serving as a fixed end connected to the finger adapter base of the knuckle structure, and the other end serving as a free end connected to the knuckle structure through a force transmission path.

[0046] In one specific embodiment, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator 101 is arranged along the length of the phalanx structure. One end of the coordinator serves as a fixed end, which is fixed to the finger adapter base of the phalanx structure via mechanical connection or integral molding. The finger adapter base refers to the mounting base used to provide stable support and reaction force for the coordinator. Specifically, it can be a bionic hand palm simulation structure, the proximal phalanx of the phalanx structure, or a tendon sheath guiding structure located at the proximal end of the phalanx structure. The other end of the flexible bionic muscle coordinator 101 serves as a free end, which is connected to the distal end of the phalanx structure (such as the middle or distal phalanx) via a force transmission path formed by flexible cables, tendon cords, or direct adhesion. Thus, when the coordinator undergoes contraction deformation, the free end can pull the distal phalanx along the length of the phalanx to achieve flexion movement. This "one end fixed, one end free" arrangement not only simulates the anatomical structure of a biological muscle where the muscle belly is fixed to the bone and the tendon connects to the distal bone, but also provides clear reaction force support and motion output direction for the coordinated deformation of multiple components within the cooperative body, ensuring the effective transmission of driving force and precise control of knuckle movement.

[0047] In one embodiment, the finger adapter base refers to a structure used to provide fixed support for the flexible bionic muscle collaborator. It can be a palm-simulated structure (such as the metacarpal portion of a bionic hand), a forearm-simulated structure, or the proximal phalanx of the phalanx structure. This structure serves as a reaction force support point when the collaborator contracts, enabling the tensile force generated by the collaborator to be effectively transmitted to the distal end of the phalanx structure.

[0048] The drive unit 102 is electrically connected to the flexible bionic muscle cooperator 101 and is configured to apply a drive electric field to the flexible bionic muscle cooperator.

[0049] In one specific embodiment, the driving unit 102 is electrically connected to the flexible bionic muscle cooperative 101, serving as the power source and control core of the entire driving control device. It is configured to apply a driving electric field with specific voltage amplitude, frequency, waveform, and timing to the flexible bionic muscle cooperative 101 to excite the active deformation of the electro-actuated material inside the cooperative. For example, the driving unit 102 can specifically employ an independent programmable voltage source, directly driving the strip-shaped components in the cooperative through DC or AC voltage output. Its circuit structure is simple and its response is rapid. In another example, the driving unit 102 can also employ a multi-channel programmable power supply, capable of independently providing driving electric fields with different amplitudes and timings to different component groups (such as the first component group and the second component group) within the cooperative, thereby achieving the timing recruitment and coordinated control of multiple component groups and achieving a bionic effect of smooth establishment and decay of contractile force. Furthermore, the drive unit 102 can also integrate signal generation and power amplification circuits to generate drive signals of arbitrary waveforms (such as sine waves, square waves, and pulse sequences) in conjunction with the microcontroller. This adapts to the differentiated requirements of different motion modes (such as rapid grasping and fine manipulation) on the drive curve, and achieves continuous control of the output force range through voltage amplitude adjustment. Through this configuration, the drive unit 102 not only provides electric field excitation for the collaborative entity but also provides the hardware foundation for spatial and temporal coordination of multiple component groups within the collaborative entity through independent channel control, waveform adjustment, and programmable timing. This ensures that the bionic finger achieves smooth, compliant, and controllable flexion movements that conform to human movement characteristics.

[0050] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 1 As shown, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator includes: multiple strip-shaped components 100, each strip-shaped component 100 being made of an electrically actuated material capable of active deformation under electric field excitation, and exhibiting anisotropic deformation behavior under electric field excitation; the multiple strip-shaped components are divided into multiple component groups, each component group including at least one strip-shaped component, and the multiple component groups including at least a first component group C1 and a second component group C2, wherein the axial stiffness of the first component group C1 is higher than that of the second component group C2; the first component group C1 and the second component group C2 are coupled through a preset force transmission structure, such that when responding to the driving electric field applied by the driving unit, the first driving force generated by the first component group C1, including the first deformation, and the second driving force generated by the second component group C2, including the second deformation, cooperate spatially to generate motion output.

[0051] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connection and installation of a bionic finger provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0052] Reference Figure 2 As shown, the robotic bionic finger can be connected to a target location, such as the target finger location on the palm, via a finger adapter base D1. For example, when... Figure 2 The robot's bionic finger shown is the index finger, which can be connected to the index finger position of the robot's bionic hand via its finger adapter base D1.

[0053] In one implementation, reference Figure 2 As shown, the fixed end of the flexible bionic muscle coordinator 101 can be adapted to the base D1 by a finger, and the free end of the flexible bionic muscle coordinator 101 is connected to the knuckle structure D2 through a force transmission path.

[0054] It should be noted that, Figure 2 The connection position between the free end of the flexible bionic muscle coordinator 101 and the knuckle structure D2 can be distinguished based on different needs such as finger driving mode, finger movement function and other extended functions. In other words, the connection position between the free end of the flexible bionic muscle coordinator 101 and the knuckle structure D2 can be adjusted according to the needs so that the physical structure can provide physical and mechanical support for the corresponding needs.

[0055] In some embodiments, the finger adapter base includes a multi-layered composite flexible base with an anchor point array and an insulating slot system corresponding to the finger bone on its inner side for fixing the fixed end of the flexible bionic muscle coordinator; a tendon channel and a guide ring simulating the human pulley structure are formed inside the base, and the tendon channel and the guide ring constitute a guide structure.

[0056] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of a bionic finger-driven control device provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0057] Reference Figure 3As shown, in one embodiment, the fixed ends N1 of multiple flexible bionic muscle coordinators 101 can be precisely positioned and fixed in the insulating slots M1 of the anchor point array. A tendon channel 103a and a guide ring 103b simulating a human pulley structure are formed inside the base. The tendon channel 103a and the guide ring 103b constitute a guide structure 103. When the multiple flexible bionic muscle coordinators 101 are independently excited and undergo active deformation, the displacement or force generated at their free ends is guided as a "tendon" into the pre-fabricated tendon channel 103a inside the base. This force transmission path is then constrained and steered by the guide ring 103b simulating a human pulley structure, thereby precisely transmitting the drive output to the target phalanx structure in a low-friction, high-efficiency manner, driving it to produce the expected bionic movement. The highly integrated internal guiding network (tendon channels 103a and guide rings 103b) and external fixing interface (anchor array and insulating slot M1) not only achieve stable, insulated and reconfigurable distributed fixing of multiple flexible bionic muscle cooperating bodies 101, but also ensure the high efficiency and directional accuracy of driving energy transmission through bionic optimized force transmission path. At the same time, the flexibility of the substrate itself gives the entire device better fit with the mounting surface and better shock resistance.

[0058] Reference Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the free end of the flexible bionic muscle coordinator 101 can also be connected to the knuckle structure via a knuckle joint adapter V1. The shape of the knuckle joint adapter V1 is different for different fingers (thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger), and its function is to enable the flexible bionic muscle coordinator 101 to be connected to the knuckle structure via a bionic tendon.

[0059] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the drive connection of a bionic finger provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0060] Reference Figure 4 As shown, each bionic finger can be... Figure 1 The bionic finger drive control device provided in the illustrated embodiment performs drive control, and the connection structure of the bionic finger drive control device can be as follows: Figure 3 As shown, and then through Figure 2 The installation method shown connects and installs the device to the corresponding position on the bionic hand to form a complete bionic hand.

[0061] In some embodiments, the difference in axial stiffness between the first component group and the second component group is achieved by at least one of the following methods: the ratio of the elastic modulus of the first component group to the elastic modulus of the second component group is greater than 3:1 and less than 20:1; the cross-sectional geometry of the strip members of the first component group and the second component group is different; the product of the elastic modulus and the cross-sectional area of ​​the strip members of the first component group and the second component group is different; and the length of the strip members of the first component group and the second component group is different.

[0062] In some specific embodiments, the difference in axial stiffness between the first component group and the second component group can be achieved in various ways:

[0063] 1. Material path: Keep the cross-sectional dimensions of the two sets of components the same, and achieve the difference in axial stiffness by controlling the elastic modulus ratio to be greater than the elastic modulus ratio threshold.

[0064] 2. Geometric path:

[0065] ① Keep the materials of the two sets of components the same, and achieve the difference in stiffness by controlling the different geometric dimensions of the cross sections (such as the cross section diameter ratio of 1.2:1-3:1);

[0066] ② Keep the materials and cross-sectional geometric dimensions of the two sets of components the same, and achieve the difference in stiffness by controlling the length.

[0067] 3. Combined Paths:

[0068] ① Simultaneously adjust the material modulus and cross-sectional dimensions to achieve axial stiffness differences by varying the product of the elastic modulus and the cross-sectional area.

[0069] ② Simultaneously adjust the material modulus, cross-sectional dimensions, and length to achieve axial stiffness differences by varying the ratio of the product of the elastic modulus and the cross-sectional area to the length.

[0070] The appropriate method can be selected according to actual needs. As long as the axial stiffness of the first component group is higher than that of the second component group, functional division based on axial stiffness can be achieved.

[0071] To verify the effect of axial stiffness differences on functional differentiation, three groups of samples were prepared: Group A (modulus ratio 3:1, same cross-section), Group B (same modulus, cross-section diameter ratio 2:1), and Group C (modulus ratio 2:1, cross-section diameter ratio 1.5:1, axial stiffness ratio 3:1). All three groups of samples exhibited clear functional differentiation under electric field excitation: the first group dominated axial contraction, while the second group dominated bending deformation, demonstrating that axial stiffness differences are the essential factor for functional differentiation.

[0072] In some embodiments, the difference in axial stiffness between the first component group and the second component group is achieved by the ratio of the elastic modulus of the first component group to the elastic modulus of the second component group being greater than 3:1 and less than 20:1.

[0073] In one embodiment, the difference in axial stiffness between the first and second component groups is achieved by a ratio of elastic modulus greater than 3:1 and less than 20:1. This range is an optimized parameter determined based on a comprehensive consideration of achieving stable functional differentiation and structural reliability. It should be noted that axial stiffness is determined by both the elastic modulus and the cross-sectional geometry. When the cross-sectional dimensions of the two component groups are the same, the difference in axial stiffness directly reflects the difference in elastic modulus. Extensive experimental research has shown that when the elastic modulus ratio is less than 3:1, the driving behaviors of the two component groups under electric field excitation tend to converge, failing to form a clear functional differentiation. For example, the first component group cannot dominate axial contraction, and the second component group cannot dominate bending deformation; both exhibit mixed deformation modes, making spatial coordination difficult. However, when the modulus ratio reaches 3:1, the axial strain of the first component group can reach more than five times its transverse strain, and the bending deflection of the second component group can reach more than three times its axial strain, forming a clear dominant driving functional differentiation. Taking SBAS material as an example, the modulus ratio can be precisely controlled by adjusting the stretch ratio: the first component group is stretched at a high ratio (stretch ratio 5:1) to obtain a modulus of 1.2 MPa, while the second component group is stretched at a low ratio (stretch ratio 2:1) to obtain a modulus of 0.4 MPa. The modulus ratio between the two is exactly 3:1, which meets the functional differentiation requirements. On the other hand, when the modulus ratio exceeds 20:1, the second component group is prone to buckling or excessive creep under electric field excitation due to its low stiffness, making it difficult to generate controllable bending driving force. At the same time, the excessive modulus difference will cause significant stress concentration at the interface, leading to premature interface failure of the collaborative body during dynamic driving. Therefore, controlling the elastic modulus ratio between 3:1 and 20:1 can ensure that the first and second component groups form a sufficient axial stiffness difference under the premise of the same cross-sectional size. This ensures both the intrinsic functional differentiation of the material and the structural stability and interface reliability of the second component group, enabling the collaborative body to maintain stable composite motion output during long-term dynamic driving.

[0074] It should be noted that, to clarify the impact of the difference in axial stiffness between the first and second component groups on the differentiation of driving behavior, this application established the critical modulus ratio for achieving functional differentiation of "contraction-dominant and bending-dominant" through a series of comparative experiments. Specifically, five cooperative sample groups with elastic modulus ratios (Ehigh / Elow) of 2.5:1, 2.8:1, 3.0:1, 3.2:1, and 3.5:1 were prepared. Except for the modulus ratio, the material composition, cross-sectional geometry, anisotropy, arrangement, and force transmission structure of the strip components in each sample group were kept consistent. Under the same electric field strength (e.g., 40V / μm), the axial strain εaxial of the first component group (high modulus group) and the maximum bending deflection ωbend of the second component group (low modulus group) were simultaneously acquired using digital image correlation method, and the functional differentiation coefficient η=εaxial / (ωbend / L) (where L is the component gauge length) was used as a quantitative evaluation index. Experimental results show that when the modulus ratio is ≤2.8:1, the deformation modes of the first and second component groups are similar, the ratio of the axial strain of the first component group to that of the second component group is less than 1.2, and the second component group does not show significant directional bending (η<0.5), indicating that both groups of components exhibit mixed deformation under the electric field and cannot form a clear functional division. When the modulus ratio reaches 3.0:1, the axial strain of the first component group increases sharply to more than 5 times its transverse strain, while the bending deflection of the second component group simultaneously reaches more than 3 times its axial strain, and the functional differentiation coefficient η jumps to more than 2.8. When the modulus ratio continues to increase to 3.2:1 and above, the differentiation effect is further enhanced and tends to stabilize. The experimental data fully demonstrates that 3:1 is the critical technical threshold for achieving the core functional differentiation of this application (i.e., the high-modulus group dominates axial contraction, and the low-modulus group dominates bending drive). When the modulus ratio is lower than this value, the mechanical responses of the two groups of components under electric field excitation tend to converge, making it impossible to achieve the cooperative motion basis required by this application. Only when the modulus ratio reaches or exceeds 3:1 can the intrinsic stiffness difference of the materials overcome the constraint coupling effect brought about by structural coupling, thereby triggering a clear functional division of "contraction and bending". In this embodiment, by controlling the elastic modulus ratio between 3:1 and 20:1, which may include the endpoint values ​​of 3:1 and 20:1, this elastic modulus ratio setting achieves sufficient axial stiffness difference between the first component group and the second component group, providing a reliable mechanical basis for subsequent spatial coordination.

[0075] In some embodiments, the difference in axial stiffness between the first component group and the second component group is achieved by the difference in the cross-sectional geometry of the strip members of the first component group and the second component group. Specifically, the difference in the cross-sectional geometry of the strip members of the first component group and the second component group includes: the ratio of the cross-sectional diameter of the strip members of the first component group to that of the strip members of the second component group is greater than 1.2:1 and less than 3:1.

[0076] In one implementation, the difference in axial stiffness between the first and second component groups is achieved through the different cross-sectional geometries of their strip-shaped components. When both groups of components use the same material (i.e., the same elastic modulus), the axial stiffness is proportional to the cross-sectional area. Therefore, the required stiffness difference can be achieved independently by adjusting the cross-sectional dimensions without changing the material composition. This design approach is particularly suitable for scenarios with high requirements for material homogeneity or where a simplified material system is desired. For example, in medical applications with strict biocompatibility requirements, the same biosafety certified material can be used, and functional differentiation needs can be met solely through geometric design.

[0077] Under the premise of identical materials (i.e., equal elastic modulus), the difference in axial stiffness between the first and second component groups can be achieved by adjusting the cross-sectional geometry of the strip component. When the materials of the two groups of components ( ) and length ( When all cross-sectional areas are the same, the difference in axial stiffness depends entirely on the cross-sectional area. The difference. For example, for a circular cross-section member, the cross-sectional area... Proportional to the square of the diameter, a small difference in cross-sectional diameter is magnified to a squared difference in stiffness. Experiments show that when the ratio of the cross-sectional diameters of the first component group to the second component group is greater than 1.2:1 and less than 3:1, sufficient difference in axial stiffness can be achieved to realize a clear functional differentiation. Taking SBAS material as an example, if both groups of components use a material with a modulus of 0.4 MPa, the diameter of the first component group is 0.3 mm (cross-sectional area of ​​approximately 0.07 mm²), and the diameter of the second component group is 0.15 mm (cross-sectional area of ​​approximately 0.018 mm²). The diameter ratio of 2:1 corresponds to a cross-sectional area ratio of 4:1, and the axial stiffness ratio is also 4:1. Under these conditions, when excited by an electric field, the first component group, due to its higher axial stiffness, dominates axial contraction, while the second component group, due to its lower axial stiffness, is more prone to bending deformation. This difference is sufficient to overcome the constraint coupling effect caused by structural coupling, achieving a stable functional division of "contraction-dominant and bending-dominant". The optimal range for this diameter ratio is based on the following: when it is below 1.2:1, the stiffness difference is too small, and the driving behavior of the two groups of components tends to be similar; when it is above 3:1, the second group of components is prone to instability or fracture due to being too thin, and the stress concentration at the interface increases significantly. Therefore, controlling the cross-sectional diameter ratio between 1.2:1 and 3:1 can ensure functional differentiation while taking into account structural reliability and process feasibility.

[0078] In one implementation, the difference in cross-sectional geometry is specifically manifested in a cross-sectional diameter ratio greater than 1.2:1 and less than 3:1. Related experiments show that when the cross-sectional diameter ratio is less than 1.2:1, the difference in axial stiffness between the two groups of components is too small, and their driving behavior under electric field excitation tends to be similar: the first component group cannot dominate axial contraction, and the second component group cannot produce significant directional bending; both exhibit a mixed deformation mode, making it difficult to achieve the functional division of "contraction and bending" required for spatial coordination. However, when the cross-sectional diameter ratio reaches 1.2:1, since axial stiffness is proportional to the square of the diameter, the axial stiffness ratio of the two groups of components is approximately 1.44:1, which is sufficient to trigger a clear functional differentiation. Specifically, the axial strain of the first component group can reach more than four times its transverse strain, and the bending deflection of the second component group begins to appear and increases rapidly with the increase of the diameter ratio.

[0079] In some embodiments, the difference in axial stiffness between the first component group and the second component group is achieved by the difference in length of the strip members in the first component group and the second component group.

[0080] In a specific implementation, when the material (E) and cross-sectional dimensions (A) of the two sets of components are the same, the axial stiffness is inversely proportional to the length; that is, the shorter the component, the higher the axial stiffness; and the longer the component, the lower the axial stiffness. Therefore, by using shorter strip-shaped components in the first component group and longer strip-shaped components in the second component group, a difference in axial stiffness can be achieved without changing the material and cross-section. For example, one implementation method is a differentiated anchorage point design: the two ends of the strip-shaped component in the first component group are fixed to two anchorage points that are relatively close together (e.g., 50mm in length), and the two ends of the strip-shaped component in the second component group are fixed to two anchorage points that are relatively far apart (e.g., 80mm in length). Since both have the same material and cross-section, the axial stiffness of the first component group is approximately 1.6 times that of the second component group (80 / 50). The second implementation method is segmented clustering within the component group: strip-shaped components of the same material are prepared with the same diameter, but the first component group is composed of 20 short components with a length of 60mm bundled in parallel, and the second component group is composed of 20 long components with a length of 100mm bundled in parallel. The stiffness ratio of the two groups of components is the inverse length ratio 100:60≈1.67:1.

[0081] In the flexion actuation application of bionic fingers, the actuating component of the proximal phalanx can be designed to be shorter to obtain high stiffness for strong flexion, while the actuating component of the distal phalanx can be designed to be longer to obtain low stiffness for fine bending. Although both are made of the same material, functional differentiation is achieved through the difference in length. This approach does not require changes to the material formula or cross-sectional dimensions; stiffness can be flexibly adjusted solely through length design. It is particularly suitable for applications where space is limited but the length direction can be freely adjusted.

[0082] In some embodiments, the difference in axial stiffness between the first component group and the second component group is achieved by the different products of the elastic modulus and cross-sectional area of ​​the strip members of the first component group and the second component group.

[0083] In one implementation, when the lengths of the two sets of components... When they are the same, the difference in their axial stiffness is directly determined by the elastic modulus. With cross-sectional area The product of the two components determines the axial stiffness. Therefore, the difference in axial stiffness between the first and second component groups can be adjusted. The product is achieved by combining the effects of both material and geometric dimensions. Specific implementation methods include, but are not limited to, the following three scenarios: First, keeping the cross-sectional areas of the two sets of components the same, and using materials with different moduli to achieve… The products are different (e.g., the first component group uses a high-modulus material, and the second component group uses a low-modulus material); secondly, keeping the materials of the two groups of components the same, and designing different cross-sectional dimensions to... Differences lead to The products are different (e.g., the first component group uses a large-diameter component, and the second component group uses a small-diameter component); thirdly, the material modulus and cross-sectional dimensions are adjusted simultaneously to make the combined product... The product shows differences. Taking SBAS material as an example, the first component group can use components with a modulus of 1.2 MPa and a diameter of 0.3 mm ( The second component group can use components with a modulus of 0.4 MPa and a diameter of 0.2 mm. A product ratio of approximately 6.8:1 between the two components results in a significant difference in axial stiffness. Regardless of the method used to achieve this, as long as the first component group... If the product is greater than the second component group, it can ensure the functional differentiation of the first component group dominating axial contraction and the second component group dominating bending deformation under electric field excitation.

[0084] It should be noted that the difference between the product of elastic modulus and cross-sectional area is essentially a mathematical definition of the difference in axial stiffness. According to mechanics of materials, axial stiffness... In the length of the two sets of components Under the same conditions, the difference in stiffness is directly caused by The product determines the outcome. Therefore, as long as the two sets of components... Different values ​​indicate differences in axial stiffness, sufficient to achieve functional differentiation. Those skilled in the art can adjust the material modulus, cross-sectional dimensions, or a combination of both according to actual needs to make the first component group... The product is greater than that of the second component group, thus achieving a higher axial stiffness of the first component group than that of the second component group.

[0085] In some embodiments, the difference in axial stiffness between the first component group and the second component group is achieved by the different ratios of the product of the elastic modulus and the cross-sectional area of ​​the strip members of the first component group and the second component group to their length.

[0086] In a specific implementation, according to mechanics of materials, the axial stiffness k of a strip-shaped component is k = EA / L, where E is the elastic modulus, A is the cross-sectional area, and L is the component length. This ratio (EA / L) directly determines the component's ability to resist deformation under axial force. Therefore, by making the EA / L value of the first component group greater than that of the second component group, the axial stiffness of the first component group can be higher than that of the second component group. This can be achieved by simultaneously adjusting multiple parameters, including the material modulus, cross-sectional dimensions, and length, to create differences in the combined EA / L values. Taking SBAS material as an example, the first component group can use components with a modulus of 1.2 MPa, a diameter of 0.3 mm, and a length of 10 mm (EA / L ≈ 1.2 × 0.07 / 10 = 0.0084), while the second component group can use components with a modulus of 0.4 MPa, a diameter of 0.2 mm, and a length of 15 mm (EA / L ≈ 0.4 × 0.031 / 15 ≈ 0.00083). The ratio between the two is approximately 10:1, resulting in a significant difference in axial stiffness. It should be noted that the difference in the ratio of the product of elastic modulus and cross-sectional area to length is essentially a complete mathematical definition of axial stiffness difference, encompassing the combined effects of material modulus, geometric dimensions, and component length. When the two sets of components have the same length, this ratio difference degenerates into a difference in the product of elastic modulus (EA); however, when the lengths are different, the length itself becomes an independent variable regulating the stiffness difference. Regardless of the method used, as long as the EA / L value of the first component group is greater than that of the second component group, the functional differentiation of the first component group dominating axial contraction and the second component group dominating bending deformation under electric field excitation can be ensured, thus meeting the driving requirements of the bionic finger for composite motion.

[0087] In some embodiments, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator is configured to transmit the motion output to the knuckle structure through its free end, driving the knuckle structure to produce smooth movements consistent with the motion characteristics of human fingers.

[0088] In one embodiment, a flexible bionic muscle coordinator is arranged along the length of the phalanx structure. Its fixed end is connected to the finger adaptation base (such as a palm simulation structure or proximal phalanx), and its free end is connected to the distal end of the phalanx structure (such as the middle or distal phalanx) through a force transmission path formed by flexible cables, tendon ligaments, or direct bonding. When the driving unit applies a driving electric field, the first and second component groups inside the coordinator undergo different forms of deformation, such as contraction and bending, due to the difference in axial stiffness and the coupling of the force transmission structure. The two components work together in space to form a motion output with smooth force and displacement characteristics. This motion output directly pulls the distal end of the phalanx structure through the free end of the coordinator, causing the phalanx to produce continuous flexion movements around its joint. Due to the stiffness differences among the multiple components within the coordinating unit, it can simulate the temporal recruitment mechanism of fast and slow muscle fibers in biological muscles under electric field excitation. This avoids the abrupt contractions and abrupt changes common in single artificial muscle actuators. Consequently, the force and displacement curves output from the free end exhibit a smooth and gradual change pattern. When driving knuckle movement, it can achieve a continuous and compliant process from initiation, acceleration to termination, ultimately producing smooth movement that highly conforms to the flexion characteristics of human fingers. This configuration, through the direct coupling between the coordinating unit and the knuckle structure and the synergistic driving of the internal multiple components, solves the problems of uneven force output and abrupt changes in single artificial muscle actuators in existing technologies. This makes the movement of the bionic finger more natural and compliant, providing a reliable driving foundation for subsequent fine grasping and complex operations.

[0089] In some embodiments, the first component group and the second component group have a preset first spatial structure relationship, which includes at least one of the following: first attachment type, first covering type, first embedded type, and first spaced type.

[0090] First attachment type: At least one strip-shaped member in the second component group is attached longitudinally to the surface of at least one strip-shaped member in the first component group.

[0091] In one embodiment, the first attachment method refers to at least one strip-shaped member in the second component group being attached longitudinally (i.e., axially) to the surface of at least one strip-shaped member in the first component group, with force transmission achieved through interfacial bonding. In a specific implementation, an uncured slurry or interfacial coupling agent of the same material can be coated on the surface of the strip-shaped member in the first component group, and then the strip-shaped member of the second component group can be attached longitudinally thereon, forming an integrated interface through co-curing or chemical cross-linking.

[0092] For example, taking SBAS material as an example, a high-modulus (1.2 MPa) first component group strip is used as a substrate, and a low-modulus (0.4 MPa) SBAS prepolymer slurry is coated on its surface. Then, another low-modulus strip is attached to it, and co-cured at 120°C for 30 minutes, allowing the molecular chains at the interface to diffuse and entangle with each other, forming a strong chemical bond. When an electric field is applied, the first component group generates a contraction driving force along the axial direction, and the second component group generates a bending driving force. Since the two are tightly coupled through the attachment interface, the bending deformation of the second component group will directly act on the first component group, causing its contraction path to deflect. Meanwhile, the contraction constraint of the first component group will restrict the free bending of the second component group. The two naturally form a composite motion through mutual restraint.

[0093] In robotic bionic finger applications, this attachment structure allows contractile and bending forces to be transmitted synergistically along the longitudinal direction of the components, enabling flexion movements of the finger joints. This first type of attachment spatial structure achieves efficient force transmission between the two sets of components through simple surface attachment, eliminating the need for complex weaving or embedding processes, and making the fabrication process simple and controllable. Furthermore, the attachment interface can be designed as continuous contact or discrete point contact as needed, thereby adjusting the coupling strength between the two sets of components and achieving precise control over composite motion modes.

[0094] First covering type: At least one strip-shaped member in the second component group covers the outer periphery of at least one strip-shaped member in the first component group in a spiral or woven manner.

[0095] In one embodiment, the first covering refers to at least one strip-shaped member in the second component group covering the outer periphery of at least one strip-shaped member in the first component group in a spiral or woven manner, with force transmission achieved through interface contact and geometric constraints. In a specific implementation, the high-modulus strip-shaped member of the first component group can be used as the core layer, and the low-modulus strip-shaped member of the second component group can be spirally wound around its outer surface with a certain pitch and covering angle. The number of winding layers can be designed as a single layer or multiple layers as needed; alternatively, a weaving process can be used to cover the outer periphery of the first component group with multiple strip-shaped members of the second component group in a warp and weft interlacing manner to form a mesh covering layer.

[0096] In some embodiments, to enhance interfacial bonding, a coupling agent or a slurry of the same material may be applied to the surface of the first component group before coating, and co-curing treatment may be performed after coating.

[0097] For example, taking SBAS material as an example, a first component group of strip-shaped members with a diameter of 0.5 mm and a modulus of 1.2 MPa is used as the core layer. A second component group of strip-shaped members with a diameter of 0.2 mm and a modulus of 0.4 MPa is spirally wound onto its surface with a 45° wrap angle and a pitch of 2 mm. After two layers are wound, a dilute SBAS solution is applied, and the mixture is dried and cured at 100°C, so that the interface between the wound layer and the core layer forms a chemical bond. When an electric field is applied, the first component group generates a contraction driving force along the axial direction, and the second component group generates a contraction driving force along the helical direction due to its spiral wrapping shape. This driving force can be decomposed into an axial component and a circumferential component. The circumferential component applies a torsional torque to the core layer, causing the axial contraction of the core layer to be accompanied by a torsional motion around the axis. The two work together to generate a helical motion.

[0098] In the application of bionic wrist joints in robots, this first encapsulated composite structure enables the collaborating body to rotate while contracting axially, simulating the combined flexion and rotation of the wrist. This composite structure, through spiral or woven encapsulation, transforms the bending drive of the second component group into a multidimensional force acting on the first component group, naturally coupling the originally singular contractile and torsional motions to directly output a composite motion. Simultaneously, by adjusting the encapsulation angle, pitch, and number of winding layers, the proportional relationship between axial contraction and torsion can be precisely controlled, enabling flexible design of motion patterns. Furthermore, the encapsulation structure creates a multi-layered composite structure in the radial direction, enhancing the overall structural integrity and fatigue resistance of the collaborating body.

[0099] First Embedding: At least one strip-shaped component in the second component group is embedded inside at least one strip-shaped component in the first component group to form a core-skin structure.

[0100] In one embodiment, the first embedding refers to at least one strip-shaped member in the second component group being embedded inside at least one strip-shaped member in the first component group, forming a core-skin structure. In a specific implementation, a co-extrusion process can be used to simultaneously mold two materials with different moduli. The high-modulus first component group material serves as the core layer, and the low-modulus second component group material serves as the skin layer. The skin layer material is then used to cover and partially embed into the surface of the core layer through a co-extrusion die, forming a semi-embedded structure with a continuous core layer and an embedded skin layer. Alternatively, a casting process can be used. First, strip-shaped members with longitudinal grooves or channels in the first component group are prepared as a substrate. Then, the low-modulus second component group material is injected into the grooves or channels in a molten state. After cooling, the two form a mechanical interlock and interface bond.

[0101] In one embodiment, the specific implementation of simultaneously molding two materials with different moduli using a co-extrusion process includes: using a high-modulus SBAS material with a modulus of 1.2 MPa as the core layer material and a low-modulus SBAS material with a modulus of 0.4 MPa as the skin layer material, both are fed to a co-extrusion die through two extruders; the die is designed with three circumferentially evenly distributed flow channels, allowing the skin layer material to be embedded in the surface of the core layer as three longitudinal ribs, forming a composite strip-shaped component with a continuous core layer and three low-modulus ribs embedded in the surface after extrusion. The extrusion temperature is controlled at 150°C, and the extrusion speed ratio is core layer:skin layer = 3:1. After cooling, an integrated composite component with a diameter of 1.0 mm and a rib depth of 0.2 mm is obtained. In this composite component, the high-modulus core layer constitutes the first component group, and the low-modulus ribs constitute the second component group. The two form an integrated interface during the molding process, requiring no subsequent bonding treatment. When an electric field is applied, the high-modulus core layer dominates axial contraction, while the embedded low-modulus ribs dominate bending deformation; the two work together naturally in three-dimensional space. Through co-extrusion, precise positioning and integrated molding of the two components at the microscale can be achieved, significantly improving interfacial bonding strength and force transmission efficiency, while simplifying the manufacturing process and making it suitable for mass production.

[0102] For example, taking SBAS material as an example, a first component group of strip-shaped components with a diameter of 0.8 mm and a modulus of 1.2 MPa is first prepared as a core layer by co-extrusion molding. Three V-shaped grooves with a depth of 0.2 mm are machined on its surface along the axial direction. Then, a second component group of material with a modulus of 0.4 MPa is heated to a molten state, injected into the grooves, and pressure is applied to make it fit tightly against the inner wall of the grooves. After cooling, the second component group of material solidifies to form three strip-shaped structures embedded in the core layer. When an electric field is applied, the first component group, as a continuous matrix, generates a contraction driving force along the axial direction, while the second component group, as an insert, generates a bending driving force due to its low modulus characteristics. Since the second component group is embedded inside the first component group, its bending deformation is constrained by the surrounding matrix in all directions and cannot bend freely. Instead, it applies local stress to the matrix, inducing the matrix to produce a composite bending in three-dimensional space.

[0103] In bionic finger applications, the composite structure constructed through this first embedded component enables the finger to achieve fine bending in multiple directions while contracting axially, simulating the combined flexion and lateral movement of a real finger. This composite structure uses high-modulus (1.2 MPa) SBAS material as the first component group, forming the core skeleton of the finger; low-modulus (0.4 MPa) SBAS material is used as the second component group, uniformly embedded circumferentially into the core surface as three longitudinal ribs, corresponding to the palmar, dorsal, and lateral positions of the finger, respectively. When an electric field is applied, the high-modulus core layer dominates axial contraction, generating the main driving force for finger flexion; the low-modulus ribs embedded in different circumferential positions undergo differentiated bending deformation due to their low-modulus characteristics. The palmar ribs dominate the bending enhancement in the flexion direction, while the lateral ribs induce lateral movement. The two form a three-dimensional force coupling within the core layer, enabling the finger to achieve fine bending in multiple directions while contracting axially, realistically simulating the combined flexion and lateral movement of a real finger. This embedding method enables the two sets of components to form a three-dimensional force coupling at the microscale. The force transmission path is short and direct, ensuring that the contraction and bending forces of the fingers can be efficiently and collaboratively transmitted during the grasping action, thereby improving response speed and output force. The low-modulus ribs are embedded inside the high-modulus core layer, which provides all-round protection during repeated grasping and releasing of the fingers, significantly improving tensile and fatigue resistance and extending service life. By designing the circumferential distribution of the grooves (such as palmar, dorsal, radial, and ulnar sides) as well as their depth and number, the bending stiffness and driving force distribution in different directions can be precisely controlled. This allows the flexion angle, lateral swing amplitude, and movement trajectory of the fingers to be customized according to the target biomimetic needs. For example, lateral ribs can be added to the thumb design to achieve palmar movement, and the palmar rib layout can be optimized in the index finger design to enhance gripping power.

[0104] First-interval arrangement: The first component group and the second component group are arranged alternately at intervals on a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0105] In one embodiment, this alternating arrangement structure can be achieved using a stacked assembly or a multi-channel co-extrusion process. The stacked assembly method involves preparing high-modulus material into thin sheet-like strip components as the first component group, and preparing low-modulus material into thin sheet-like strip components of the same thickness as the second component group. These two types of materials are then stacked alternately in the thickness direction, and the interfaces are fused through hot pressing to form a multi-layered alternating composite structure. The multi-channel co-extrusion method involves designing alternating channels within the co-extrusion die, allowing high-modulus and low-modulus materials to alternately converge during extrusion, forming a composite strip component with a multi-layered alternating cross-section in a single process.

[0106] For example, taking SBAS material as an example, a high-modulus SBAS material with a modulus of 1.2 MPa is prepared into a thin strip-shaped component with a thickness of 0.2 mm and a width of 1 mm as the first component group, and a low-modulus SBAS material with a modulus of 0.4 MPa is prepared into a thin strip-shaped component of the same size as the second component group. The two are stacked alternately in the thickness direction for 5 layers (forming a high-low-high-low-high arrangement), and hot-pressed at 120°C and 0.5 MPa pressure for 15 minutes to allow the molecular chains at the interlayer interface to diffuse and fuse with each other, thereby obtaining an integrated composite strip-shaped component with a thickness of about 1.0 mm. When an electric field is applied, the spaced high-modulus components dominate axial contraction, generating a longitudinal contraction driving force; the spaced low-modulus components dominate bending deformation, generating a bending driving force perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Since the two are alternately distributed in the thickness direction and tightly coupled at the interface, the contraction of each layer of high-modulus components will exert axial constraints on the adjacent low-modulus components, while the bending deformation of each layer of low-modulus components will induce the adjacent high-modulus components to produce local deflection, so that the entire cooperative body exhibits a uniform composite bending on a macroscopic scale.

[0107] In biomimetic finger applications, this alternating spaced structure serves as the driving force of the finger, with its thickness direction corresponding to the finger's flexion direction. When an electric field is applied, the spaced high-modulus components dominate axial contraction, generating the main driving force for finger flexion; the spaced low-modulus components dominate bending deformation, inducing local bending in adjacent high-modulus components. Because the two are alternately distributed in the thickness direction and tightly coupled at the interface, the contraction of each layer of high-modulus components and the bending of each layer of low-modulus components work synergistically in space, causing the finger to produce a uniform bending curvature along the thickness direction, realistically simulating the smooth flexion movement of a real finger. This alternating spaced structure enables the finger to produce a uniform bending curvature along the thickness direction, realistically simulating the smooth flexion movement of a real finger, and avoiding uneven deformation caused by stress concentration.

[0108] Based on the first type of intermittent composite structure, the alternating arrangement of the two sets of components ensures uniform distribution across the cross-section and symmetrical force transmission path, guaranteeing uniform stress distribution during finger bending and significantly improving the stability and repeatability of gripping movements. Secondly, by adjusting the number of alternating layers (e.g., 3, 5, or 7 layers) and the thickness ratio of each layer, the overall bending stiffness and flexion angle of the finger can be precisely controlled, enabling differentiated design for different phalanges (e.g., the thumb requires greater force, while the index finger requires higher precision). Thirdly, the multi-layered alternating structure forms a composite reinforcement in the thickness direction, effectively suppressing local buckling instability that is prone to occur in single-layer structures, and enhancing the bending stiffness and load-bearing capacity of the finger when gripping heavy objects. Fourthly, by designing an asymmetrical layer distribution on both sides of the thickness direction (e.g., more high-modulus layers on one side and fewer low-modulus layers on the other), unidirectional deflection presets for the finger can be achieved, allowing the finger to naturally flex in a flexed posture without excitation, more closely resembling the physiological curvature of a real finger and simplifying the control strategy.

[0109] In some embodiments, the plurality of component groups further includes a third component group, the elastic modulus of the third component group being greater than that of the second component group and less than that of the first component group; the first component group, the third component group and the second component group have a preset second spatial structure relationship, the second spatial structure relationship including at least one of the following: second attachment type, second covering type, second embedded type, and second spaced type.

[0110] In a specific embodiment, the flexible biomimetic muscle coordinator may further include a third component group, whose elastic modulus is configured to be greater than that of the second component group and less than that of the first component group, thereby introducing an intermediate modulus transition layer between the high and low modulus groups. This third component group is achieved by controlling the manufacturing process (e.g., using a moderate stretching ratio of 3:1, moderate filler content, or appropriate crosslinking density) to obtain strip-shaped components (e.g., 0.7-0.8 MPa) with modulus values ​​between the first component group (e.g., 1.2 MPa) and the second component group (e.g., 0.4 MPa), and then independently bundling them into groups.

[0111] In terms of spatial arrangement, the third component group can be coupled with the first and second component groups according to the preset second spatial structural relationship. By introducing the intermediate modulus component group, the modulus distribution of the cooperative body is expanded from binary discrete to ternary gradient, providing more degrees of freedom for the fine-tuning of motion modes. Secondly, the third component group can act as a "motion smoothing adjustment layer," providing a mechanical transition between contraction drive and bending drive, making the motion of the cooperative body more smooth and continuous when simultaneously excited, avoiding motion shocks caused by sudden changes in modulus. By independently controlling the excitation intensity of the third component group, fine-tuning of the intermediate state of composite motion can be achieved, such as adjusting the ratio of axial contraction to torsion in a composite motion of contraction and torsion.

[0112] Second attachment type: The third component group is attached to the first component group, and the second component group is attached to the third component group.

[0113] In one embodiment, the third component group is attached to the surface of the first component group, and the second component group is then attached to the surface of the third component group, forming a series structure with layer-by-layer attachment from the inside out. Specifically, the process is as follows: First, a high-modulus strip-shaped component of the first component group is prepared as the core layer. An uncured intermediate-modulus material slurry or interfacial coupling agent is coated onto its surface. The strip-shaped component of the third component group is then longitudinally attached to it, and co-curing is performed to form an integrated interface. After the third component group has cured, a low-modulus material slurry is coated onto its surface, and the strip-shaped component of the second component group is attached to the outermost layer. Co-curing is then performed again to ensure a continuous bond between all interfaces. Unlike the first attachment method (where the second component group is directly attached to the first component group), the second attachment method achieves indirect attachment through the third component group as an intermediate transition layer, creating a radial "high, medium, low" modulus gradient distribution among the three component groups. The intermediate modulus transition layer provided by this structure alleviates the abrupt change in stiffness between high-modulus and low-modulus materials, making the interface stress distribution more uniform and significantly improving the resistance to interface peeling of the cooperative body under dynamic driving. The three-layer attachment structure provides more adjustable interfaces. By independently controlling the material properties of the third component group (such as thickness and modulus value), the force transmission efficiency and coupling strength between the first and second component groups can be finely adjusted. This structure enables the three groups of components to be tightly integrated in space, providing a structural basis for the subsequent realization of more complex gradient functional distributions (such as continuous modulus changes). Compared with the first attachment type, the second attachment type can realize more diverse driving force combinations. For example, the first component group dominates contraction, the second component group dominates bending, and the third component group, as an intermediate adjustment layer, can be independently excited to smooth the movement of both.

[0114] For example, taking the preparation of a biomimetic muscle coordinator using SBAS material as an example, the first component group uses 20 high-strength (5:1) strip components with a diameter of 0.3 mm and a modulus of 1.2 MPa bundled in parallel as the core layer; the third component group uses 10 medium-strength (3:1) strip components with a diameter of 0.2 mm and a modulus of 0.7 MPa, after coating their surfaces with a dilute SBAS solution, and then attaching them longitudinally to the outer periphery of the first component group, and pre-curing them at 100°C for 10 minutes; the second component group uses 20 low-strength (2:1) strip components with a diameter of 0.2 mm and a modulus of 0.4 MPa, after coating the surface of the third component group with a coupling agent, and then wrapping them in a 45° spiral manner to attach them to the outermost layer, and then co-curing them at 120°C for 20 minutes, so that the three-layer interface forms a continuous chemical cross-link. Cross-sectional observation of the fabricated composite structure showed good interface fusion between the three layers with no obvious boundaries. Mechanical tests indicated that its interfacial shear strength reached 6.8 MPa, which is improved compared to the directly attached structure without an intermediate layer (4.2 MPa). In electric field excitation tests, 8% axial contraction was generated when only the first component group was excited; 25° bending was generated when only the second component group was excited; when the first and third component groups were excited simultaneously, the axial contraction and intermediate layer contraction synergistically increased the contraction rate to 10%; when all three groups of components were excited simultaneously, the axial contraction, intermediate layer adjustment, and bending deformation synergistically produced a smooth composite contraction and bending motion with no impact vibration during the bending process, which significantly improved the smoothness of motion compared to the two directly attached structures.

[0115] In applications of bionic hand grasping and manipulation, the second attachment structure can be used to simulate the synergistic function of intrinsic muscles (such as lumbrical muscles and interosseous muscles) and extrinsic muscles (flexor digitorum profundus and flexor digitorum superficialis) in the human hand, enabling independent control and compound movements of multiple finger segments. Specifically, the second attachment coordinator serves as the driving unit for a single finger: the first component group (high modulus) is arranged along the finger axis, simulating the flexor digitorum profundus to provide strong flexion drive; the third component group (medium modulus) is attached to the surface of the first component group, simulating the flexor digitorum superficialis responsible for inter-segmental synergistic adjustment; and the second component group (low modulus) is attached to the outermost layer, simulating the lumbrical muscles responsible for fine fingertip bending and lateral adjustment. Taking the grasping of a cylinder as an example, when an enveloping grasp is required, the first component group is first stimulated to flex the fingers as a whole to approximate the object's contour. Then, the third component group is stimulated to fine-tune the flexion angle of each knuckle to make the fingers fit against the object's surface. Finally, the second component group is stimulated to cause the fingertips to slightly bend laterally, simulating the "wrapping" action of the fingertips on the object when the human hand grasps it, thus improving the grasping stability. In pinching operations (such as pinching a needle), only the second and third component groups are stimulated to produce a precise pinching action at the fingertips, while the first component group remains in a low-tension state to avoid excessive force. Through the hierarchical attachment and independent control of three sets of components, the same finger can continuously switch between different grasping modes, from strong full-hand grasping to delicate fingertip pinching. Furthermore, due to the presence of the middle layer (the third component group), the motion coupling between each finger joint can be adjusted independently, avoiding the linkage defect of "moving one part affects the whole" in traditional single-layer drive. When the bionic hand grasps fragile objects, it can reduce the linkage between finger joints by reducing the excitation intensity of the third component group, thus achieving smoother contact force control.

[0116] Second type of encapsulation: The third component group encapsulates the first component group, and the second component group encapsulates the third component group.

[0117] In one embodiment, a third component group is spirally or woven around the periphery of a first component group, and a second component group is then spirally wrapped around the periphery of the third component group in the same or different manner, forming a concentric layered structure with progressively overlapping layers from the inside out. Specifically, the process is as follows: First, a high-modulus first component group strip is used as the core layer. A continuous winding process is then used to spirally wrap a medium-modulus third component group around its surface at a preset angle (e.g., 30°-60°) and pitch, forming a first coating layer. Then, a coupling agent or a slurry of the same material is coated onto the surface of the first coating layer. Next, a low-modulus second component group is spirally wrapped around the surface of the third component group at the same or opposite angle, forming a second coating layer. Finally, co-curing allows the molecular chains at the interfaces of each layer to diffuse and fuse, forming an integrated multilayer composite structure. Unlike the first coating type (where the second component group directly wraps the first component group), the second coating type achieves a gradient transition of modulus from the inside out (high, medium, low) through the intermediate layer of the third component group. The intermediate modulus cladding layer provided by this structure alleviates the abrupt stiffness change between the high modulus core layer and the low modulus outer layer, making the radial stress distribution more uniform and significantly improving the resistance to interfacial peeling during bending and torsion. The multi-layer cladding structure provides more adjustable geometric parameters. By independently setting the cladding angle, pitch, and thickness of each layer, the axial contraction, torsional stiffness, and bending flexibility can be independently adjusted. The third component group, as an intermediate layer, can be independently excited, acting as a "stiffness regulating valve." That is, exciting the intermediate layer can change its modulus, thereby adjusting the efficiency of the transmission of the driving force from the outer layer to the inner layer. Compared with the first cladding type, this structure can realize more complex compound motions, such as the outer layer driving torsion, the inner layer driving contraction, and the intermediate layer adjusting the coupling strength between the two, making the motion mode of the collaborative body more diverse and adjustable.

[0118] For example, a second coated structure is prepared using a liquid crystal elastomer and carbon nanotube composite material. The first component group uses a thermotropic nematic liquid crystal elastomer (modulus 1.5 MPa), which is electrospun into fibers with a diameter of 0.2 mm and bundled in parallel as the core layer. The third component group uses an azobenzene-doped photoresponsive liquid crystal elastomer (modulus 0.8 MPa), which is prepared into fibers with a diameter of 0.1 mm and wound around the surface of the core layer with a 45° helix angle and a pitch of 1 mm to form the first coating layer. The azobenzene is then photocrosslinked and oriented by ultraviolet light irradiation. The second component group uses a conductive polypyrrole / liquid crystal elastomer composite material (modulus 0.3 MPa), which is prepared into fibers with a diameter of 0.1 mm and wound around the surface of the third component group with a -45° helix angle and a pitch of 0.8 mm to form the second coating layer. Finally, the three layers are fused together by hot pressing at 120°C for 30 minutes. Multi-mode drive tests were conducted on the cooperating body: when only the first component group was excited (heated to 120°C), 12% axial contraction was generated; when only the second component group was excited (3V voltage was applied), 30° bending was generated accompanied by 10° torsion; when the first and second component groups were excited simultaneously, axial contraction and bending torsion were combined; when the third component group was additionally excited (excited by 365nm ultraviolet light), the modulus of its intermediate layer decreased to 0.5MPa due to photo-induced isomerization, which improved the efficiency of the transmission of the driving force from the outer layer to the inner layer and increased the torsion angle, demonstrating the regulating effect of the intermediate layer on the motion output.

[0119] In applications of bionic hand grasping and posture adjustment, the second encapsulating structure can be used to simulate the synergistic action of intrinsic and extrinsic muscle groups in the human hand, enabling complex bending and twisting movements of the fingers. Specifically, the second encapsulating composite serves as the driving unit for a single finger: the first component group (high modulus) is arranged parallel to the finger axis as the core layer, providing the main driving force for finger flexion; the third component group (medium modulus) spirally encapsulates the outer periphery of the first component group, simulating the rotational adjustment function of the interphalangeal joint; the second component group (low modulus) spirals in the opposite direction on the outermost layer, responsible for the fine bending and lateral swinging of the fingertip. Taking grasping a flat object (such as a business card) as an example, the first component group is first stimulated to flex the entire finger close to the object's surface, and then the second and third component groups are simultaneously stimulated to produce opposite twisting, causing the fingertip to rotate slightly during flexion, simulating the natural movement of the thumb and forefinger rotating in opposite directions when the human hand grasps a business card, increasing the contact area by more than 30%. When adjusting the posture of an object within the palm (such as turning a held ball vertically), the excitation ratio of the second and third component groups can be independently adjusted to allow the fingers to rotate around their axis while maintaining grip strength, causing the object to roll within the palm, avoiding the need for large-angle wrist rotation. The multi-layered spiral structure spatially decouples bending and torsional movements. The high-modulus core layer is responsible for axial bending, while the inner and outer spiral layers generate forward and reverse torsion respectively. Through independent control of the three components, controllable torsional torques can be superimposed at any position of finger flexion and extension, giving the bionic hand an "adaptive gripping" ability similar to a human hand. When grasping complex-shaped objects, stable contact can be achieved through passive adaptation without relying on visual feedback.

[0120] Second Embedding: The third component group is embedded inside the first component group, and the second component group is embedded inside the third component group.

[0121] In one embodiment, the third component group is embedded inside the first component group, and the second component group is then embedded inside the third component group, forming a nested structure with layers embedded from the outside in. Specifically, the process involves: first, preparing a first component group substrate with longitudinal through holes or grooves (e.g., using a co-extrusion process to form a high-modulus rod with channels); then, injecting the material of the third component group into the channels in a molten or prepolymer form, which solidifies to form the first embedded layer; next, processing finer micropores longitudinally inside the third component group, then injecting and solidifying the material of the second component group to form the second embedded layer; or using a multi-step co-extrusion process to achieve concentric nesting of the three layers in a single molding process. Unlike the first embedded layer (where the second component group is directly embedded in the first component group), the second embedded layer uses the third component group as an intermediate transition layer, achieving a gradient distribution of modulus from the outside in (high modulus in the first group, medium modulus in the third group, and low modulus in the second group), and the three components are completely coaxial in the radial direction with continuous interfaces. This structure creates omnidirectional force coupling in three-dimensional space. The outer high-modulus matrix provides structural support and the main drive for axial contraction, the middle layer regulates stress transmission, and the inner low-modulus components undergo fine bending or torsion when constrained by the outer layer. The interaction of these three elements makes the force transmission path shorter and more efficient. The embedded structure completely protects the low-modulus components inside the high-modulus matrix, significantly improving the tensile strength, fatigue resistance, and environmental resistance of the collaborative body. By designing the spatial distribution of the channels (such as eccentric holes or multi-hole arrays), the point and direction of action of the inner components on the outer matrix can be precisely controlled, realizing composite motion in three-dimensional space. This structure allows the collaborative body to integrate multiple functional units while maintaining a small outer diameter, resulting in extremely high space utilization, making it particularly suitable for miniaturized applications.

[0122] A second embedded structure was fabricated using an ionomer-polymer-metal composite (IPMC) and a carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resin composite as an example. The first component group was made of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resin (modulus 15 GPa), pultruded into a 2 mm diameter rod, with three 0.5 mm diameter eccentric holes (circumferentially distributed at 120°) machined axially inside. The third component group was made of PVDF piezoelectric polymer (modulus 1.2 GPa) doped with barium titanate nanoparticles, injected into the eccentric holes in a molten state, polarized under a high-voltage electric field to orient the molecular chains axially, and cooled and solidified to form the first embedded layer. Subsequently, micropores with a diameter of 0.2 mm were machined along the same axis inside the third component group, and IPMC slurry (a composite of perfluorosulfonic acid resin and platinum nanoparticles) was injected into the micropores. Electrodes were prepared by chemical reduction to form the second embedded layer. The resulting co-organizer had a total diameter of 2.2 mm and contained three independent IPMC driving units. Driven by testing, the collaborative body remained rigid when the first component group (the carbon fiber composite material itself is not actively driven, but serves as a structural layer) was excited. When any IPMC core was excited (3V voltage was applied), the core bent. Due to its eccentric embedding, the bending force exerted local stress on the outer matrix, causing the entire collaborative body to bend to the opposite side. Simultaneously exciting the three IPMC cores and controlling the voltage amplitude differences allowed the collaborative body to bend in any direction in three-dimensional space, with a maximum bending angle of ±45°. In addition, the PVDF layer of the third component group generated piezoelectric signals when the collaborative body deformed, which could monitor the bending state in real time and achieve a self-sensing function.

[0123] In applications of bionic hand grasping and fine manipulation, the second embedded structure can simulate the multi-level functional division of human hand muscles from deep to superficial layers, achieving an organic unity of powerful output and fine fingertip movement. Specifically, the second embedded composite serves as the driving unit for a single finger: the first component group (high modulus) acts as the outermost matrix, simulating the flexor digitorum profundus muscles to provide the main driving force for overall finger flexion; the third component group (medium modulus) is embedded inside the first component group, simulating the flexor digitorum superficialis muscles responsible for adjusting the flexion ratio between phalanges; the second component group (low modulus) is embedded in the innermost layer of the third component group, simulating the frenulum brevis or opponens muscles responsible for fine fingertip bending and opponent adjustment. Taking grasping a cylinder as an example, firstly, the first component group is stimulated to flex the finger as a whole until it roughly conforms to the object's contour; then, the third component group is stimulated to finely adjust the flexion angle of each phalanx, making the fingertip fit tightly against the cylindrical surface; finally, the second component group is selectively stimulated as needed to induce localized bending at the fingertip, simulating the "wrapping" action of the fingertip during grasping, further improving grasping stability. In pinching operations (such as pinching a fine needle), only the second and third component groups are stimulated, enabling the fingertips to produce precise pinching movements. The first component group maintains a low tension state to avoid excessive force, achieving fine force control at the 0.1N level. The hierarchical embedded structure of these three component groups allows the three functions of "power," "adjustment," and "precision" to form independent channels within the finger. That is, the outermost layer provides strong output for overall movement, the middle layer is responsible for interphalangeal coordination, and the innermost layer focuses on fine end control. The three are controlled by independent electrodes to achieve a continuous transition from full-hand grasping to fingertip pinching. Furthermore, because the embedded structure completely protects the low-modulus components within the high-modulus matrix, they are not easily damaged by wear or impact during repeated grasping. This makes it particularly suitable for industrial assembly or prosthetic hand scenarios that require both heavy-duty grasping and precision operation.

[0124] The second type of alternating arrangement: the first component group, the third component group, and the second component group are arranged alternately on a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0125] In one embodiment, after the introduction of the third component group, the first, third, and second component groups are arranged alternately in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to form a periodic multilayer composite structure. The co-organizer is obtained by stacking components in the order of "first component group, second component group, third component group, second component group, first component group" from top to bottom. Specifically, a layered assembly or multi-channel co-extrusion process is used to alternately stack the high-modulus first component group, the medium-modulus third component group, and the low-modulus second component group in the thickness direction, one layer at a time, according to a preset order, such as "first, third, second, third, first" or "first, second, third, second, first," or other symmetrical or asymmetrical sequences. The number of stacked layers can be designed as an odd number, such as 5, 7, or 9 layers, to ensure symmetry on both sides. The interfacial molecular chains of each layer diffuse and fuse with each other through hot pressing, forming an integrated multilayer alternating composite structure. Unlike the first interleaved structure (with only two alternating layers), the second interleaved structure introduces an intermediate modulus transition layer, allowing the modulus to exhibit multi-level gradient changes in the thickness direction, such as "high, medium, low, medium, high" or "high, low, medium, low, high". This periodically alternating arrangement of the structure results in highly uniform mechanical properties in the thickness direction of the composite material, smoother stress distribution, and avoids localized stress concentrations caused by abrupt modulus changes. The introduction of the intermediate modulus layer provides a mechanical buffer between high and low moduli, significantly improving the composite material's resistance to interlaminar delamination during dynamic bending. By adjusting the alternation sequence and layer ratio, the overall bending stiffness, neutral layer position, and deformation symmetry of the composite material can be independently controlled. For example, a three-layer structure ("high, low, high") can produce unidirectional bending, while a five-layer structure ("high, medium, low, medium, high") can achieve bidirectional symmetrical bending. This structure provides a feasible path for the subsequent construction of more complex gradient functional materials (such as those with continuous gradient distributions) through discretization approximation.

[0126] A second spacer structure was prepared using a piezoelectric ceramic fiber composite material and a conductive polymer composite material as an example. The first component group used lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramic fiber (modulus 60 GPa), with a diameter of 0.1 mm and a length of 50 mm, coated with silver electrodes. The third component group used barium titanate-doped PVDF piezoelectric polymer fiber (modulus 2 GPa), with a diameter of 0.15 mm. The second component group used polypyrrole / polyurethane conductive polymer fiber (modulus 0.1 GPa), with a diameter of 0.2 mm. A laminated assembly process was used, with 5 layers arranged alternately in the thickness direction in the order of "first, third, second, third, first", with 10 fibers laid in each layer. Epoxy resin adhesive was applied between the layers, and the layers were hot-pressed at 80℃ and 0.3 MPa for 1 hour to cure, resulting in a layered composite strip (hereinafter referred to as the composite strip) with a thickness of approximately 1.2 mm and a width of 5 mm. The composite strip was subjected to a driving test: when a high-voltage electric field (1kV / mm) was applied to the first component group, the piezoelectric ceramic underwent axial contraction, causing the composite strip to shorten overall; when a 3V voltage was applied to the second component group, the conductive polymer bent, and due to its intermediate layer position, the bending force was transmitted to the first component group through the third component group, causing the composite strip to produce a smooth S-shaped bend; when all three layers were excited simultaneously, the contraction of the piezoelectric ceramic and the bending of the conductive polymer worked synergistically, causing the composite strip to produce a wavy deformation. Furthermore, the PVDF layer of the third component group generated a piezoelectric signal during the deformation of the composite strip, allowing for real-time monitoring of the bending curvature and achieving a self-sensing function.

[0127] In applications of bionic hand multi-joint collaborative actuation, the second spacer structure can be used to simulate the independent movement and rhythmic coordination between the joints of the human hand, achieving progressive bending and adaptive envelope grasping from the fingertip to the base. Specifically, the second spacer composite is arranged along the length of the finger, with its internal first component group (high modulus), third component group (medium modulus), and second component group (low modulus) alternately arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (e.g., a five-layer symmetrical structure of high, medium, low, medium, and high), corresponding to the dorsal, central, and palmar regions of the finger, respectively. Taking the grasping of a spherical object as an example, firstly, the second component group (low modulus) located on the palmar side is excited, causing it to bend significantly, driving the fingertip to curl towards the palm; after a 50ms delay, the third component group (medium modulus) located in the center is excited, causing it to bend moderately, gradually causing the middle of the joint to conform to the surface of the sphere; after another 50ms delay, the first component group (high modulus) located on the dorsal side is excited, causing it to contract strongly with a small amplitude, completing a powerful wrapping of the base of the finger. Through this sequential excitation pattern, from the outside in and from shallow to deep, the fingers bend segment by segment starting from the fingertips, eventually completely enveloping the sphere in the palm, thus improving grip stability compared to simultaneous excitation methods. When adjusting the grip posture (such as turning the held cylinder horizontally), the excitation timing and voltage ratio of the three sets of components can be changed to induce rhythmic oscillations in the fingers during flexion, simulating the fine-tuning movements of a human hand adjusting an object. The core advantage of this design lies in the alternating arrangement, which creates a modulus gradient and functional zones in the thickness direction of the fingers. By independently controlling the excitation timing of different modulus layers, the natural action sequence of "fingertips contacting first, then the knuckles enveloping" during human gripping can be accurately simulated. At the same time, the mechanical coupling between the layers ensures that the gripping force is evenly distributed on the finger surface, avoiding localized pressure concentration, making it particularly suitable for gripping easily deformable or fragile objects.

[0128] In some embodiments, the first component group and the second component group are controlled by a driving unit through independent electrode circuits. The driving unit is configured to apply driving electric fields with different start times and / or different durations to the first component group and the second component group, so that the first deformation generated by the first component group and the second deformation generated by the second component group form a preset sequential or superimposed relationship in time, thereby controlling the flexible bionic muscle coordinator to achieve smooth establishment and attenuation of contractile force during axial contraction.

[0129] In one embodiment, the driving unit is configured with multiple independent output channels, each connected to a corresponding component group via an independent channel. The first channel connects to the first component group (high-stiffness component group), and the second channel connects to the second component group (low-stiffness component group). The voltage amplitude, start time, and duration of each channel are precisely set using a microcontroller or programmable logic device. For example, when simulating the "temporal recruitment of fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers" in biological muscle to achieve a smooth establishment of gripping force, the driving unit can first apply a driving electric field to the first component group, causing it to respond quickly and generate initial contractile force, establishing a basic gripping force. After a delay of several milliseconds (e.g., 50-100 ms), a driving electric field is then applied to the second component group, causing it to gradually contract and deform, supplementing and superimposing the contractile force of the first component group. This results in the output force curve of the entire coordinating unit exhibiting a gradual characteristic of first rising rapidly and then slowly approaching the maximum value, avoiding the abrupt step impact common with single drivers. In applications where a bionic hand grasps fragile objects (such as eggs or paper cups), based on the control method, when the bionic hand approaches the target object, the drive unit first activates the first component group, causing the finger to quickly move to the position of contact with the object's surface. At the moment of contact, the second component group has not yet been activated or is only activated with a low voltage. At this time, the overall output force is low, and the finger makes contact with the object in a compliant manner to avoid impact damage. After contact is established, the drive unit gradually increases the electric field strength of the second component group or extends its excitation time, so that the deformation generated by the second component group and the deformation of the first component group are superimposed in time. The overall output force of the collaborative body rises smoothly until the preset gripping force is reached, completing a stable grip. Similarly, when releasing the object, the drive unit can first stop applying the electric field to the second component group, allowing it to gradually relax, and then stop the excitation of the first component group, so that the release action of the finger also presents a smooth decay, avoiding the object falling due to sudden release. Through this timing control with different start times and / or different durations, the drive unit can accurately simulate the recruitment and derecruitment processes of different motor units in biological muscles, enabling the flexible bionic muscle coordinator to smoothly establish and decay the output force during axial contraction. This allows the bionic hand to exhibit compliance, controllability, and safety that are highly consistent with the movement characteristics of the human hand when performing a complete sequence of movements from light touch to stable grasping and from grasping to release.

[0130] In some embodiments, the first deformation includes contraction or elongation, and the second deformation includes bending; the first deformation and the second deformation work together to produce at least one of torsional, helical, or oscillating motions.

[0131] In a specific implementation, the coordinated torsional motion generated by the first deformation (contraction or elongation) and the second deformation (bending) is based on spatial geometric constraints and the principle of force vector synthesis. When the first component group contracts or elongates along the axial direction, its driving force is transmitted along the axial direction; when the second component group undergoes bending deformation, its driving force is perpendicular to the axial direction or at a certain angle to the axial direction. By coupling the second component group with the first component group in a specific spatial configuration (such as spiral wrapping, eccentric arrangement, or cross arrangement), the bending driving force of the second component group can be decomposed into axial and circumferential components, wherein the circumferential component applies a torsional moment about the axis to the first component group. For example, when the second component group wraps around the outer periphery of the first component group in a spiral manner, its bending deformation generates a driving force along the tangent direction of the spiral line. This force can be decomposed into a component parallel to the axial direction of the first component group and a circumferential component perpendicular to the axial direction. The circumferential component causes the first component group to rotate about the axis. When two sets of second component groups with left-right helical symmetry are excited simultaneously, their circumferential components form a couple, further enhancing the torsional effect. This collaborative mechanism requires only two sets of components to achieve a combined contraction (or elongation) and torsion motion, eliminating the need for additional torsion drive units and significantly simplifying the system structure. The torsional motion and axial motion are naturally coupled, resulting in a smooth and continuous motion trajectory without mechanical impact. By adjusting the arrangement angle, pitch, and excitation intensity of the second component group, the ratio between axial displacement and torsion angle can be independently controlled, enabling precise design of the motion mode. This collaborative mechanism originates from structural design rather than complex control, allowing the composite to spontaneously generate the expected combined motion at the moment of excitation, resulting in fast response and high reliability.

[0132] For example, taking a biomimetic muscle composite made of SBAS material, the first component group consists of 20 axially parallel components with a diameter of 0.3 mm and a modulus of 1.2 MPa, forming a core bundle with a diameter of 2 mm. The second component group consists of 40 components with a diameter of 0.2 mm and a modulus of 0.4 MPa, divided into left and right groups of 20 each, which are cross-wound around the outer periphery of the core bundle with helical angles of 45° and -45° respectively, with 2 layers of winding and a pitch of 3 mm. When only the first component group is excited, the composite exhibits an 8% axial contraction, shortening its length from 100 mm to 92 mm. When only the second component group is excited, the composite exhibits a bending deformation of approximately 15°. When both groups of components are excited simultaneously, the bending driving force of the second component group generates a circumferential component through the helical path, which works synergistically with the axial contraction of the first component group, causing the composite to exhibit a 30° torsion around its axis while undergoing a 5% axial contraction. High-speed imaging and mechanical testing systems recorded and showed that torsional motion and axial contraction occurred synchronously without time delay, and the torsional angle was linearly related to the excitation voltage, which could be continuously adjusted within the range of 100-500V. With one end of the composite fixed and the other end connected to a pointer, it was clearly observed that the pointer moved axially and rotated around the axis simultaneously, visually verifying the synergistic effect of contraction and bending in generating torsion.

[0133] In biomimetic robotic wrist joint actuation applications, this contraction-flexion-torsion coordinated mechanism perfectly simulates the complex movements of the human wrist joint. During implementation, the composite is arranged along the forearm axis, with its proximal end fixed to the radial skeleton and its distal end connected to the hand skeleton, simulating the anatomical structure of the radiocarpal joint. When a "pronation" action (palm-downward rotation) is required, the first component group and a second component group in a specific direction (such as a right-handed coiling group) are simultaneously stimulated, causing the composite to slightly contract axially while simultaneously twisting clockwise, thus rotating the hand. When a "supination" action (palm-upward rotation) is required, the second component group in another direction (left-handed coiling group) is stimulated, producing a counter-clockwise twist. When wrist flexion is required accompanied by slight rotation, the stimulation ratio of the two second component groups is adjusted to combine torsion and flexion. In grasping operations, when the robotic hand needs to adjust the object's posture after grasping it, this coordinated mechanism allows the wrist joint to rotate the object while maintaining gripping force, achieving continuous "grasping and rotation" movements. In actual testing, the bionic wrist joint prototype can achieve an axial contraction range of 0-8mm (corresponding to wrist flexion and extension of 0-60°) and a twisting range of 0-45°. Both can be adjusted independently or in tandem to complete complex wrist movements such as pronation, supination, ulnar deviation, and radial deviation. The movement trajectory is highly similar to the movement of the human wrist joint, significantly improving the flexibility and naturalness of robot operation.

[0134] In one embodiment, the first and second component groups can generate oscillating motion based on different start times. Specifically, when the electric field excitation start times of the first and second component groups are different, they can be arranged in a sequential relationship in time, thereby generating oscillating motion. Taking a biomimetic finger composite made of SBAS material as an example, the first component group (axial contraction) and the second component group (bending) are controlled separately by independent electrodes. The excitation parameters are set as follows: the first component group is applied with a voltage of 500V for 1 second; the second component group is applied with the same voltage, but with a 0.2s delay in start time. When the excitation begins, the first component group first generates axial contraction, shortening the finger as a whole; after 0.2s, the second component group begins to generate bending deformation. At this time, the finger is already in a contracted state, and the bending deformation superimposed on the contraction causes the finger to swing to one side; after the excitation ends, the two components relax synchronously, and the finger returns to its original position. By adjusting the delay time (e.g., 0.1s, 0.3s, 0.5s), the amplitude and speed of the swing can be controlled. High-speed video recordings showed that the finger swing amplitude reached 25° at a delay of 0.2s, and decreased to 15° at a delay of 0.5s, proving the regulatory effect of the initial time difference on the swing motion.

[0135] In the simulation of a "tapping" motion in a biomimetic robot finger, this oscillation mechanism based on an initial time difference can produce a movement similar to a human finger tapping a table. In implementation, a composite element serves as the driving unit for the index finger, with its proximal end fixed to the hand skeleton and its distal end connected to the fingertip. When a tapping motion is required, the control system first excites the first component group to cause axial contraction of the finger (simulating flexion), and after a 50ms delay, excites the second component group to cause lateral oscillation of the finger (simulating tapping direction adjustment). The "crispness" of the tap can be controlled by adjusting the delay time; a shorter delay (e.g., 20ms) produces a rapid tap, while a longer delay (e.g., 100ms) produces a gentle stroking motion. In applications with performance robots, combining this mechanism with multi-finger collaborative control allows each finger to oscillate with different initial time differences, simulating the timing and force variations of different fingers touching the keys in piano playing, significantly improving the naturalness and expressiveness of the performance.

[0136] In some embodiments, the first component group and the second component group are arranged in antagonistic order in space, such that the first driving force generated by the first component group and the second driving force generated by the second component group are mutually antagonistic in the direction of action, and together generate motion output through the coupling of a preset force transmission structure.

[0137] In one embodiment, the first component group and the second component group can be respectively arranged on different sides of the knuckle structure. For example, the first component group is arranged along the palmar side of the knuckle to generate a pulling force that drives finger flexion, and the second component group is arranged along the dorsal side of the knuckle to generate a pulling force that drives finger extension. The two form a force transmission coupling structure through a common fixed end (such as a finger adapter base) and a common free end (such as the connection point of the distal knuckle). When the driving unit independently controls the electric field excitation of the two component groups, the driving forces generated by the two are mutually antagonistic in the flexion direction of the knuckle. This antagonistic arrangement can achieve precise position control of the knuckle at any flexion angle by adjusting the relative magnitude of the driving forces of the two component groups. That is, when the driving forces of the two are balanced, the knuckle can be stably maintained in any intermediate position. When the two component groups are excited at the same time, the mutually antagonistic forces will significantly improve the overall stiffness of the cooperative body, producing a "rigidity enhancement effect", which can provide stable support for the finger when gripping heavy objects. By alternately exciting the two component groups, active flexion and active extension of the finger can be achieved, overcoming the limitation of a single actuator that can only drive in one direction. For example, when the bionic hand needs to grasp a cylindrical object (such as a water cup), the actuation unit can simultaneously apply appropriate driving electric fields to the first component group on the palm side and the second component group on the back side, so that the two driving forces reach a balance in antagonism, and the knuckles are stably controlled at a flexion angle that just fits against the outer wall of the water cup. At this time, because the two component groups are activated at the same time, the cooperative body exhibits a high stiffness state, which can provide sufficient gripping force to prevent the water cup from slipping. When it is necessary to release the water cup, the actuation unit gradually reduces the electric field strength of the first component group, while maintaining or appropriately increasing the driving force of the second component group. After the antagonistic force balance of the knuckles is broken, the second component group takes the lead in driving the knuckles to smoothly extend and release the object. This combination of antagonistic arrangement and independent control allows the bionic finger to achieve position maintenance and stiffness adjustment during the grasping process, just like the human finger, which not only ensures the stability of the grasp, but also gives the movement smoothness and controllability.

[0138] In some embodiments, at least one flexible bionic muscle coordinator includes a first flexible bionic muscle coordinator and a second flexible bionic muscle coordinator; the first flexible bionic muscle coordinator and the second flexible bionic muscle coordinator are arranged in antagonistic space, such that the driving force generated by the first flexible bionic muscle coordinator and the driving force generated by the second flexible bionic muscle coordinator are mutually antagonistic in the direction of action, and through the coupling of a preset force transmission structure, they jointly drive the knuckle structure to generate motion output.

[0139] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a cooperative antagonistic arrangement provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0140] In one implementation, reference is made to Figure 5As shown, the bionic finger drive control device includes a first flexible bionic muscle cooperator 101a and a second flexible bionic muscle cooperator 101b, which are arranged antagonistically in space. For example, the first flexible bionic muscle cooperator 101a is located on the palmar side of the knuckle structure and is used to drive finger flexion; the second flexible bionic muscle cooperator 101b is located on the dorsal side of the knuckle structure and is used to drive finger extension. When the drive unit applies a driving electric field to the first flexible bionic muscle cooperator, the first flexible bionic muscle cooperator undergoes contraction deformation, pulling the knuckle structure to bend towards the palmar side; when the drive unit applies a driving electric field to the second flexible bionic muscle cooperator, the second flexible bionic muscle cooperator undergoes contraction deformation, pulling the knuckle structure to extend towards the dorsal side. By adjusting the driving timing and intensity of the two cooperators, precise position control and stiffness adjustment of the knuckle structure can be achieved. The two cooperators achieve force coordination and balance through a preset force transmission structure (such as indirect coupling through the knuckle structure), jointly driving the knuckle structure to produce bidirectional motion output.

[0141] In one embodiment, a first flexible bionic muscle coordinator is disposed on the palmar side of the knuckle structure, with its fixed end connected to the finger adapter base and its free end connected to the distal end of the knuckle structure, for driving finger flexion; a second flexible bionic muscle coordinator is disposed on the dorsal side of the knuckle structure, with its fixed end also connected to the finger adapter base and its free end connected to the distal end of the knuckle structure, for driving finger extension; the two coordinators form a force transmission coupling structure by sharing the same fixed end and the same free end, so that the tension generated by the two forms an antagonistic relationship in the direction of knuckle movement. Compared to the antagonistic arrangement of components within a single cooperating unit, the two cooperating units in the antagonistic arrangement of two independent cooperating units can be independently addressed and controlled. The drive units can adjust their respective electric field parameters to achieve more flexible bidirectional active drive, enabling both finger flexion and active finger extension, avoiding the limitations of single-sided actuators that rely on elastic reset or external force return. By precisely adjusting the ratio of the driving forces of the two cooperating units, force balance control can be achieved at any flexion angle, allowing the finger to remain stably in the middle position, meeting the needs of precise alignment and fine operation. When the two cooperating units are simultaneously subjected to high-intensity excitation, their opposing forces cause the overall knuckle structure to exhibit high rigidity, significantly improving grip stability. Taking the application scenario of bionic hand drive control as an example, when the bionic hand needs to perform the "finger pinching" action (such as pinching a coin with the thumb and index finger), the drive control device for the thumb and index finger both adopt the above-mentioned antagonistic arrangement structure of the two cooperative bodies: During the pinching process, the drive unit simultaneously applies a driving electric field to the palmar cooperative body of the thumb and index finger, causing the two fingers to flex in opposite directions, while applying a moderate electric field to the dorsal cooperative body. Through antagonistic balance, the fingertip is precisely controlled to the contact position on the edge of the coin; After the fingertip contacts the coin, the drive unit increases the electric field strength of the palmar cooperative body, while maintaining the electric field of the dorsal cooperative body, so that the antagonistic forces of the two cooperative bodies together form a high-rigidity grip state, ensuring that the coin is stably held and does not slip; When releasing, the drive unit reduces the electric field of the palmar cooperative body and increases the electric field of the dorsal cooperative body, so that the finger extends smoothly and completes the release action. This dual-cooperative antagonistic arrangement and control method enables the bionic hand to combine bidirectional drive, precise position maintenance, and adjustable stiffness when performing fine operations such as finger pinching, achieving a smooth, precise, and controllable grasping ability that is highly consistent with the movement characteristics of human fingers.

[0142] It should be noted that "antagonistic arrangement" refers to the spatial configuration of two component groups or two cooperating bodies such that the driving forces they generate are mutually antagonistic or mutually restrictive in their direction of action. This antagonism can be strictly opposite in direction (180° angle) or at a certain angle (such as an acute or obtuse angle), as long as the two driving forces have mutually canceling or balancing components in the direction of movement of the knuckle structure. For example, when the two cooperating bodies are respectively set on the palmar and dorsal sides of the knuckle structure, the contractile forces they generate are basically opposite in direction, forming a typical antagonistic pair; when the two cooperating bodies are arranged at a certain angle, their components in the knuckle flexion direction are mutually antagonistic, which can also achieve position control and stiffness adjustment. By adjusting the driving timing and intensity of the two cooperating bodies, precise bidirectional movement and variable stiffness output of the knuckle structure can be achieved. "Mutual antagonism in direction of action" means that the direction lines of the two driving forces do not coincide, and the projection components of the two forces in the direction of movement of the knuckle structure are opposite in direction, thus producing a mutually restrictive effect.

[0143] It should be noted that the dorsal coordinator adopts the same two-component structure as the palmar coordinator (i.e., it includes a first component group and a second component group, which have different axial stiffness and are coupled through a force transmission structure). However, its fixed end is located in the dorsal region of the forearm simulation structure (corresponding to the extensor muscle belly of the biological hand) or the palm simulation base, while its free end extends along the longitudinal arch of the back of the hand, passes through the metacarpophalangeal joint, runs along the superficial layer of the dorsal side of the phalanx, and finally connects to the dorsal base of the distal phalanx. When the driving unit applies a driving electric field to the dorsal coordinator, the coordinator undergoes contraction deformation, pulling the phalanx structure dorsally through its free end, driving finger extension. At the same time, by adjusting the driving timing and amplitude ratio of the dorsal coordinator and the palmar coordinator, precise antagonistic control of finger flexion and extension can be achieved. In this configuration, the fixed end of the dorsal cooperator is placed on the forearm simulation structure or the palm simulation base, accurately simulating the complete anatomical path of the human extensor tendon, which originates from the forearm extensor muscle group, enters the back of the hand via the dorsal wrist ligament, and then extends to the dorsal side of the phalanges. This makes the mechanical transmission of the extension movement more in line with biomechanical principles. The dorsal cooperator adopts the same two-component group structure as the palmar cooperator, enabling it to have the same temporal recruitment and stiffness adjustment capabilities during extension, achieving smooth and controllable extension movements and avoiding abrupt changes or rebounds during extension caused by a single actuator. By defining the dorsal cooperator as a "tendon structure" rather than a "muscle structure," its role as a force transmission medium is clarified, avoiding the incorrect placement of the muscle belly on the dorsal side of the fingers, making the technical solution more anatomically rigorous. Taking the release of a water cup by a bionic hand as an example, the central drive control module first applies a driving electric field to the dorsal cooperating body, causing it to generate a temporal recruitment effect that is transmitted from the fixed end to the free end, driving the finger to smoothly extend from the flexed state to the initial position and release the water cup; at the same time, the palmar cooperating body synchronously reduces the electric field excitation, and the two achieve a balanced transition of force in antagonism, so that the release action presents a smooth and continuous characteristic that is highly consistent with the extension movement of the human hand.

[0144] In some embodiments, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator is configured to mimic the flexor tendon of a human finger, wherein the axial stiffness difference between the first and second component groups within it is set to simulate the stiffness difference between different tendon bundles in the flexor tendon; based on the stiffness difference, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator responds to a driving electric field to generate a wave-like contraction wave transmitted from the fixed end to the free end, so as to drive the phalanx structure through the free end to achieve a curling flexion action.

[0145] In one embodiment, a first component group arranged along the length of the cooperating body has high axial stiffness, simulating the fast-twitch tendon bundle in a flexor tendon that contracts rapidly and bears peak force; a second component group has low axial stiffness, simulating the slow-twitch tendon bundle in a flexor tendon that contracts continuously and is responsible for fine adjustment; the two are tightly coupled through a preset force transmission structure (such as parallel arrangement or spiral wrapping). When a driving electric field is applied, the high-stiffness first component group responds first, generating initial contraction near the fixed end, forming the wavefront of the contraction wave; subsequently, the low-stiffness second component group is gradually activated under the electric field excitation in the wavefront region, and its deformation superimposed on the contraction of the first component group, causing the contraction wave to be transmitted segment by segment along the axis of the cooperating body from the fixed end to the free end, forming a wave-like contraction pattern similar to that of biological muscles "from the muscle belly to the tendon". In this configuration, the wave-like contraction wave simulates the temporal recruitment mechanism of motor units in biological muscles from proximal to distal, enabling the pulling force output by the cooperating body to increase gradually, avoiding abrupt step impacts. When driving the phalanx to flex, it can achieve sequential bending from the proximal to the distal phalanx, forming a "curling" motion trajectory that is highly biomimetic to the grasping action of human fingers. By adjusting the transmission speed and waveform of the contraction wave through stiffness differences, different contraction dynamic characteristics can be flexibly matched according to grasping needs (such as rapid grasping or fine operation), so that the bionic finger has both the ability to respond quickly and can smoothly transition to stable grasping after contacting an object.

[0146] In one implementation, by controlling the activation sequence of the first and second component groups, the recruitment sequence of motor units in biological muscles from proximal to distal is simulated, thereby generating a flexion effect of the phalanges from proximal to distal, rather than the actual propagation of mechanical waves. Specifically, according to preset timing parameters, the driving unit first applies a driving electric field to the first component group (high-stiffness component group) closest to the fixed end (corresponding to the proximal motor unit of the biological muscle), causing it to contract and deform first, driving the proximal phalanges to begin flexion. After a certain delay (e.g., 50-100 ms), a driving electric field is then applied to the second component group (low-stiffness component group) distributed along the length of the cooperating body, gradually activating it and driving the middle and distal phalanges to flex sequentially. This temporal recruitment effect accurately simulates the recruitment mechanism of motor units in biological muscles in a "from small to large, from proximal to distal" sequence, causing the contractile force to increase gradually over time and exhibit a flexion sequence transmitted from proximal to distal in space, avoiding the step-like impact caused by the simultaneous contraction of the entire structure in a single uniform material actuator. Taking the grasping of a tennis ball as an example, when the actuating unit controls the cooperating body according to the temporal recruitment effect, the proximal phalanges flex first, followed by the middle phalanges, and finally the distal phalanges, forming a curling motion trajectory that is highly similar to that of the human hand when grasping a ball. The output force at the moment the fingertips contact the ball is low. As more component groups are recruited, the gripping force smoothly rises to its peak, thus completing the grasping in a compliant, continuous, and natural manner from proximal to distal.

[0147] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a progressive ball-gripping action of a bionic hand provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0148] For example, refer to Figure 6 As shown, in the application scenario of a bionic hand grasping a spherical object (such as a tennis ball), when the bionic hand needs to perform a grasping action, the driving unit applies a driving electric field to the flexible bionic muscle coordinating body of the thumb and the other four fingers. Under the excitation of the electric field, the high-stiffness first component group inside each coordinating body contracts first at the fixed end (near the palm), generating the initial wavefront of the contraction wave; further, the low-stiffness second component group is gradually activated along the length of the coordinating body, so that the contraction wave is transmitted segment by segment from the fixed end to the free end (connected to the fingertip). In this process, the phalangeal structures of each finger respond sequentially: the proximal phalanx flexes first, followed by the middle phalanx, and finally the distal phalanx, forming a "curling" motion from proximal to distal, so that the fingers successively wrap around the surface of the tennis ball. Because the force value of the contraction wave increases gradually during transmission, the output force at the moment the fingertip contacts the tennis ball is low, avoiding impact that causes the object to bounce away; as the contraction wave is completely transmitted to the free end, the overall contraction force of the coordinating body reaches its peak, and the fingers stably wrap around the tennis ball with gradually increasing gripping force, completing the grasp. This wave-like contraction-driven curling and flexing motion allows the bionic hand to grasp a ball in a smooth, continuous, and natural manner, moving from near to far, just like a human hand. This ensures stability during the grasping process and enhances its adaptability when contacting objects of different shapes. When the tennis ball needs to be released, the drive unit stops applying the driving electric field to the first and second component groups, causing the two component groups to relax sequentially: first, the electric field excitation of the high-stiffness first component group is stopped, causing its contractile force to decay rapidly, and the overall stiffness of the collaborative body decreases accordingly; then, the electric field excitation of the low-stiffness second component group is stopped, causing its maintained contractile force to dissipate smoothly. During this process, the tension of the free end of the collaborative body on the phalangeal structure gradually decreases, and each phalanx extends and resets in the order of distal, mid, and proximal, allowing the tennis ball to be naturally released from the envelope of the fingers and fall with a smooth trajectory. Because the decay and establishment of contraction force are symmetrical and gradual, the finger extension movement also exhibits smooth and shock-free motion characteristics, avoiding the tennis ball bouncing or going out of control due to sudden release. This allows the bionic hand to release objects in a smooth and controllable manner after completing the grasping task, further improving the operational integrity and safety that are consistent with the movement characteristics of the human hand.

[0149] In some embodiments, the bionic finger drive control device includes a plurality of flexible bionic muscle coordinators, which respectively simulate the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon and the flexor digitorum profundus tendon; the drive unit is configured to independently apply an electric field excitation to each flexible bionic muscle coordinator; the plurality of flexible bionic muscle coordinators respond to the electric field excitation and drive different phalanges in the phalangeal structure respectively; the independent control of the plurality of flexible bionic muscle coordinators by the drive unit controls the independent flexion control or synergistic flexion of different phalanges in the phalangeal structure.

[0150] In one embodiment, a first flexible bionic muscle coordinator simulating the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon originates from the simulated base of the palm (corresponding to the carpal joint region of the biological hand), extends along the longitudinal arch of the palm, passes through the metacarpophalangeal joint, and runs along the palmar superficial layer of the phalanx. Its free end connects to the palmar base of the middle phalanx, simulating the insertion structure of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon.

[0151] The second flexible bionic muscle collaborator, simulating the flexor digitorum profundus tendon, also originates from the simulated base of the palm, travels along the deep palmar side of the finger, and when it passes the proximal end of the middle phalanx, it passes through the bifurcation structure pre-set by the first flexible bionic muscle collaborator (i.e., the gap or ring-shaped guiding structure formed by the first flexible bionic muscle collaborator near the middle phalanx for the second flexible bionic muscle collaborator to pass through, simulating the anatomical features of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon of a biological finger passing through the bifurcation of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon), and continues to extend distally. Finally, its free end connects to the palmar base of the distal phalanx, simulating the anatomical features of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon inserting into the distal phalanx.

[0152] The two collaborating components maintain independent force transmission paths after passing through the bifurcation structure, without interfering with each other. This accurately reproduces the spatial relationship of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon passing beneath the bifurcation of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon in a biological finger. This allows them to independently drive the middle and distal phalanges during coordinated flexion, achieving multi-phalangeal sequential movements that are more consistent with human anatomy. The fixed ends of both collaborating components are integrated into the palmar simulation base, jointly simulating the complete anatomical path of the human finger flexor tendons from the carpal tunnel into the palm and then extending to the phalanges.

[0153] In one embodiment, the bionic finger's phalanx structure includes a proximal phalanx (corresponding to the proximal phalanx), a mid-phalanx (corresponding to the mid-phalanx), and a distal phalanx (corresponding to the distal phalanx). A first flexible bionic muscle coordinator, simulating the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon, is positioned along the palmar side of the phalanx structure, with its free end connected to the mid-phalanx to drive flexion of the mid-phalanx. A second flexible bionic muscle coordinator, simulating the flexor digitorum profundus tendon, is also positioned along the palmar side, but its free end passes through a guide structure in the mid-phalanx and connects to the distal phalanx to drive flexion of the distal phalanx. The fixed ends of both coordinators are connected to a finger-adapting base (such as a palm simulation structure), and the driving unit controls the electric field parameters (such as voltage amplitude, start time, and duration) of the two coordinators through independent electrode circuits. In this configuration, by independently controlling the two cooperating bodies, independent flexion movements of the mid-phalanges and distal phalanges can be achieved. For example, flexing the mid-phalanges alone can simulate the independent movement of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon, or flexing the distal phalanges alone can simulate the independent movement of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon, enriching the movement modes of the bionic finger. By controlling the timing and intensity combination of the two cooperating bodies, coordinated flexion of the mid-phalanges and distal phalanges can be achieved. For example, flexing the mid-phalanges first and then the distal phalanges can simulate the "proximal to distal" curling movement of human fingers when grasping, or flexing both phalanges simultaneously to quickly envelop an object. This structure with independent phalange drive allows the bionic finger to flexibly adjust the flexion angle and force sequence of each phalanx according to the shape of the object and the grasping requirements when performing fine operations, achieving highly biomimetic multi-degree-of-freedom motion control similar to that of a biological finger.

[0154] For example, in the application scenario of the bionic hand performing "pinching a thin object with fingers" (such as pinching a piece of paper with the thumb and forefinger), when the bionic hand needs to complete this fine movement, the two cooperating bodies in the index finger drive control device are given different control sequences: First, the drive unit applies a driving electric field to the first flexible bionic muscle cooperating body that simulates the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon, causing its middle phalanx to flex independently to about 45 degrees, driving the index finger as a whole to move closer to the thumb and initially positioning it to the edge of the paper; during this process, the second flexible bionic muscle cooperating body that simulates the flexor digitorum profundus tendon is not stimulated, and the distal phalanx remains in an extended state to avoid the fingertip contacting the paper too early and causing accidental contact. Once the middle knuckle of the index finger is positioned, the drive unit applies a driving electric field to the second flexible bionic muscle collaborator, causing it to slowly flex the distal knuckle. The fingertip gradually and smoothly contacts the paper and applies clamping force step by step. Simultaneously, the thumb drive control device controls its corresponding collaborator in a symmetrical sequence, causing the thumb and index fingertips to move in opposite directions in space, working together to precisely grasp the paper. Due to the independent control of the two collaborators, the output force of the distal knuckle of the index finger increases smoothly when it contacts the paper, preventing the paper from slipping or breaking due to impact. When releasing the paper, the drive unit first stops the electric field excitation of the second flexible bionic muscle collaborator, causing the distal knuckle to extend and release the paper first. Then, it stops the electric field excitation of the first flexible bionic muscle collaborator, causing the middle knuckle to extend and return to its original position. The entire release process also exhibits a smooth and controllable sequential progression. This configuration, in which multiple cooperating entities independently drive different finger joints, enables the bionic hand to perform fine operations such as finger pinching, achieving a precise force adjustment process of "positioning first, then applying force" just like human fingers. This significantly improves the success rate of grasping thin sheets and fragile objects and enhances operational safety.

[0155] In some embodiments, the drive unit is configured such that when a drive electric field is applied only to the first component group or only to the second component group, the flexible bionic muscle cooperating body exhibits a first axial stiffness; and when a drive electric field is applied simultaneously to the first component group and the second component group, the flexible bionic muscle cooperating body exhibits a second axial stiffness, the second axial stiffness being greater than the first axial stiffness.

[0156] In one embodiment, the first component group has a higher inherent axial stiffness, and the second component group has a lower inherent axial stiffness. The two are mechanically coupled through a preset force transmission structure (such as parallel arrangement, spiral wrapping, or common end connection). When the driving unit applies a driving electric field only to the first component group, only the high-stiffness component group undergoes contraction deformation, and the entire cooperative body exhibits an axial stiffness comparable to that of the first component group, i.e., the first axial stiffness. When the driving electric field is applied only to the second component group, only the low-stiffness component group undergoes contraction deformation, and the entire cooperative body exhibits a lower axial stiffness, which also falls within the scope of the first axial stiffness.

[0157] When the driving unit applies a driving electric field to both the first and second component groups simultaneously, both component groups undergo contraction deformation. Due to the force transmission structure coupling between them, the deformation of any component group is constrained by the other. This means that the entire collaborative body needs to overcome the deformation resistance of both component groups simultaneously when subjected to axial force, resulting in a significantly higher axial stiffness than either single component group, i.e., the second axial stiffness. In this configuration, the stiffness can be actively adjusted without changing the physical structure of the collaborative body through simple electric field mode switching, allowing the bionic finger to flexibly switch between "compliant contact" and "rigid grip." When it is necessary to adapt to the surface shape of an object and avoid impact damage, the mode of driving only a single component group is used, making the finger exhibit low stiffness and high compliance. When a stable grip and sufficient support are required, the mode of driving both component groups simultaneously is used, making the finger exhibit high stiffness and high stability, thus balancing the compliance of the gripping process with the stability of the gripping result.

[0158] For example, in a comparative scenario of a bionic hand grasping a fragile object (such as an egg) and a heavy object (such as a metal cup), when the bionic hand needs to grasp a fragile egg, the drive unit first adopts a mode of "applying a driving electric field only to the second component group," causing the flexible bionic muscle collaborator to exhibit a first axial stiffness (low stiffness state). In this state, the finger contacts the egg surface in a compliant manner, and the collaborator can conform to the elliptical contour of the egg, avoiding shell breakage due to rigid impact. After the finger gradually wraps around the egg in low stiffness, the drive unit briefly switches to a mode of "applying a driving electric field to both the first and second component groups simultaneously," causing the collaborator to exhibit a second axial stiffness (high stiffness state), generating sufficient gripping force to stably hold the egg. Since the switch occurs after contact and is short-lived, the sudden increase in stiffness will not cause impact damage to the eggshell. When the bionic hand needs to grasp a heavier metal cup, the drive unit directly adopts a mode of "simultaneously applying a driving electric field to the first and second component groups," so that the collaborative body exhibits a second axial stiffness (high stiffness state) from the beginning. The fingers approach the cup with a high-stiffness posture and apply a large gripping force to ensure that the cup is firmly grasped and does not slip. When releasing the cup, the drive unit can first stop the excitation of the first component group, allowing the collaborative body to return to a low-stiffness state, and then slowly release it, making the release action equally smooth and controllable. By flexibly switching the drive mode according to the characteristics of the object, the bionic hand can simultaneously achieve a compliant grip on fragile objects and a strong grip on heavy objects within a single drive device, significantly improving the adaptability and safety of grasping tasks.

[0159] In some embodiments, the driving unit is configured to simultaneously apply a driving electric field to the first component group and the second component group, causing the first component group and the second component group to simultaneously undergo contraction deformation.

[0160] In one embodiment, the drive unit, through a multi-channel independent output design, synchronously applies a driving electric field with the same start time and matching amplitude to the first component group (high-stiffness component group) and the second component group (low-stiffness component group), so that the two component groups start responding to the electric field excitation at the same time and generate contraction deformation simultaneously. Since the inherent stiffness of the first component group is higher than that of the second component group, when the two contract simultaneously, the first component group provides the main axial contraction force and rapid response, while the second component group supplements and maintains the total output force through its continuous contraction capability. The two achieve mechanical coupling through a preset force transmission structure (such as parallel arrangement or common end connection), so that the overall output contraction force of the cooperative body is approximately the sum of the contraction forces of the two component groups. At the same time, the overall axial stiffness of the system is also significantly improved due to the cooperative constraint of the two component groups. This simultaneous drive mode enables the collaborator to reach maximum output force and highest stiffness in the shortest time, achieving "instantaneous peak force output," which is suitable for scenarios requiring rapid response and strong grip. By activating the dual component groups simultaneously, it avoids force output fluctuations that may occur in timing control, allowing the collaborator to exhibit stable and continuous high output characteristics in the early stages of gripping, which is conducive to the rapid establishment of gripping actions. This mode complements the timing drive mode (sequential or superimposed relationship), providing the bionic finger with two switchable control strategies: "rapid and strong grip" and "progressive and compliant grip," significantly expanding the task adaptability of the bionic hand.

[0161] For example, in the application scenario of a bionic hand grasping a high-speed moving object (such as catching a thrown baseball), when the bionic hand needs to catch a rapidly flying baseball, the drive unit directly adopts the mode of "simultaneously applying a driving electric field to the first component group and the second component group," so that the two component groups in the flexible bionic muscle coordinator produce maximum contraction deformation at the same moment. At the instant the baseball contacts the bionic finger, the coordinator is already in a state of "instantaneous rigidity" with high stiffness and high output force. The finger can directly receive the ball with sufficient rigidity and gripping force, avoiding the ball bouncing or slipping due to slow gripping force establishment. At the same time, because the two component groups contract simultaneously, the coordinator outputs maximum tension at the moment of contact, allowing the finger to quickly wrap around the ball and maintain a stable grip, without the need for a gradual process from light touch to increasing force as in the timing control mode. After the grasping task is completed, the drive unit can immediately reduce or stop the electric field excitation, allowing the finger to quickly release the ball. This "simultaneous drive and simultaneous contraction" control method enables the bionic hand to grasp objects with the shortest response time and the highest initial stiffness when faced with dynamic tasks requiring instantaneous response and strong grip, much like the rapid closing motion of a human hand catching a ball. This significantly improves the reliability and response speed of the bionic hand in dynamic environments.

[0162] In some embodiments, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator integrates a sensing unit for real-time sensing of its deformation or output force; the bionic finger drive control device further includes a control unit that receives feedback signals from the sensing unit and adjusts the electric field parameters applied by the drive unit according to the feedback signals to achieve closed-loop control of the finger bending angle and / or gripping force.

[0163] In one embodiment, the sensing unit can be integrated into the interior or surface of the cooperating body in various forms: for example, a flexible strain sensor (such as liquid metal wire, carbon nanotube coating, or conductive rubber) can be embedded in the surface or interior of the strip-shaped component of the cooperating body to monitor the tensile deformation of the cooperating body in real time through resistance changes, indirectly reflecting the flexion angle of the knuckle; or a piezoelectric thin film material can be prepared by blending / laminating with an electro-actuating material, so that it generates a piezoelectric signal proportional to the deformation while actively deforming, directly outputting deformation information; or a miniature force sensor can be set at the free end or force transmission path of the cooperating body to collect and output tensile force in real time. The control unit (such as a microcontroller or embedded processor) receives the deformation signal or force signal collected by the sensing unit, compares it with the preset target value (such as the desired knuckle flexion angle or desired grip force), and adjusts the voltage amplitude, frequency, duty cycle, or timing parameters output by the drive unit in real time through PID control, fuzzy control, or adaptive control algorithms, forming a closed-loop control loop "from sensing to comparison to adjustment". This closed-loop control method can compensate in real time for drift in driving performance caused by material hysteresis, changes in environmental temperature and humidity, or long-term use, ensuring that finger movements always maintain high precision and repeatability. Through force feedback control, it is possible to precisely adjust the gripping force, preventing objects from slipping due to insufficient gripping force or damaging objects due to excessive gripping force, which is particularly suitable for grasping fragile or easily deformable objects. Deformation feedback enables the control unit to precisely control the middle position of the phalanges, supporting complex trajectory planning (such as tracking along the contour of an object's surface), significantly improving the dexterity and adaptability of the bionic hand in fine manipulation tasks.

[0164] For example, in an application scenario where a bionic hand performs "precise grasping of soft objects" (such as picking up a piece of tofu), during the grasping process, a sensing unit (such as a flexible strain sensor integrated on the surface of the collaborator) monitors the deformation of the collaborator in real time. This deformation is linearly related to the bending angle of the knuckles, and the control unit determines the contact state between the fingertip and the tofu surface based on this. When the finger approaches the tofu, the control unit sets the target gripping force to a low threshold, and the drive unit applies an electric field to the collaborator with a low voltage, causing the finger to make compliant contact with the tofu surface. After the sensing unit detects that the deformation has reached the contact threshold, the control unit immediately switches to a force closed-loop control mode. A miniature force sensor integrated on the free end of the collaborator collects the output pulling force in real time and compares it with the preset target gripping force (such as 0.5N). When the sensor feedback value is lower than the target value, the control unit gradually increases the drive voltage to make the gripping force rise smoothly; once the feedback value reaches the target value, the control unit immediately stabilizes the drive voltage to maintain the gripping force near the target value. Throughout the grasping process, if slight deformation of the tofu surface causes fluctuations in the grasping force, the sensing unit can detect the force change in real time. The control unit adjusts the driving electric field within milliseconds to quickly restore the grasping force to the set value, ensuring the tofu is stably held without being crushed. When it is necessary to release the tofu, the control unit gradually reduces the driving voltage based on the deformation feedback signal, allowing the fingers to release the object with a smooth trajectory symmetrical to that during grasping. This closed-loop control based on sensing unit feedback enables the bionic hand to precisely control the grasping force through tactile feedback, just like a human finger. This achieves safe and stable grasping of soft and fragile objects, significantly expanding the application capabilities of the bionic hand in delicate operation scenarios such as food processing and medical care.

[0165] The following describes the bionic finger drive control device provided in this application in detail through several embodiments.

[0166] Example 1

[0167] This embodiment provides a bionic finger-driven control device for service robot applications involving grasping fragile objects. The device includes a flexible bionic muscle coordinator positioned along the length of the phalanx structure. Its fixed end is connected to a simulated hand base, and its free end is connected to the distal phalanx via tendon ligaments. The coordinator is internally divided into a first component group and a second component group by multiple strip-shaped components: the first component group uses high-modulus SBAS material (elastic modulus 1.2 MPa, diameter 0.3 mm) with an axial stiffness EA / L ≈ 0.084 N / mm; the second component group uses low-modulus SBAS material (elastic modulus 0.4 MPa, diameter 0.2 mm) with an axial stiffness EA / L ≈ 0.0124 N / mm, with a stiffness ratio of approximately 6.8:1. The two component groups are coupled through a parallel force transmission structure. The drive unit uses a dual-channel independent voltage source, with the first channel connected to the first component group and the second channel connected to the second component group. When grasping an egg, the drive unit first applies a 50V electric field for 200ms to the first component group, causing it to contract rapidly and generate initial gripping force, driving the knuckles to quickly approach the egg surface. After a delay of 80ms, the drive unit applies a 30V electric field for 300ms to the second component group, causing it to gradually contract. This contraction force, combined with that of the first component group, results in a force-displacement curve that initially rises rapidly and then gradually approaches its peak. The fingers gradually increase their gripping force from 0.1N to 0.8N, preventing the eggshell from cracking due to sudden impact. This embodiment simulates the temporal recruitment mechanism of biological muscle motor units through stiffness differences and timing control, achieving a smooth establishment and decay of contractile force. This enables the bionic finger to have a compliant and controllable gripping ability when grasping fragile objects, significantly improving the operational safety of service robots handling fragile items such as eggs and fruits in a home environment.

[0168] Example 2

[0169] This embodiment provides a bionic finger-driven control device for precise gripping of thin objects (such as pills or tickets) by medical rehabilitation robots. The device includes two independent flexible bionic muscle cooperators: a first flexible bionic muscle cooperator is located on the palmar side of the phalanx structure, and a second flexible bionic muscle cooperator is located on the dorsal side of the phalanx structure. Both cooperators have their fixed ends connected to a finger adapter base and their free ends connected to the distal phalanx, forming an antagonistic arrangement. Each cooperator internally adopts the dual-component group structure described in Embodiment 1, and the drive unit provides independent four-channel output for each cooperator. When a tablet with a diameter of 8mm needs to be clamped, the driving unit simultaneously applies a 40V driving electric field to the two component groups of the first flexible bionic muscle collaborator on the palm side, causing the collaborator to generate a contractile force of 0.2N. Simultaneously, the driving unit applies a 25V driving electric field to the two component groups of the second flexible bionic muscle collaborator on the dorsal side, causing the collaborator to generate a reverse pulling force of 0.2N. The contractile force and the reverse pulling force are balanced, driving the bionic finger joint to precisely hover at a 15° flexion position, ensuring that the fingertip forms parallel contact with the tablet surface, laying the foundation for subsequent stable clamping. After the fingertip makes stable contact with the tablet surface, the driving unit simultaneously increases the driving voltage of the first flexible bionic muscle collaborator on the palm side and the second flexible bionic muscle collaborator on the dorsal side to 50V. Through voltage adjustment, the overall axial stiffness of the finger joint is increased to 3.2 times that of single-sided driving, thereby achieving stable clamping of the tablet, effectively preventing tablet slippage during clamping, and preventing tablet breakage due to excessive clamping force, ensuring the safety and reliability of the clamping operation. During release, the drive unit first reduces the voltage of the dorsal cooperator, causing the phalanx to extend slowly, and then stops the excitation of the palmar cooperator, completing a smooth release. This embodiment achieves bidirectional actuation of active flexion and extension of the fingers through the antagonistic arrangement of the two cooperators, overcoming the limitation of a single actuator that can only drive in one direction. Through force balance control, it achieves precise positioning and stable gripping of thin objects, providing reliable technical support for medical rehabilitation robots to perform delicate operations such as pill sorting and document processing.

[0170] Example 3

[0171] This embodiment provides a bionic finger-driven control device applied to precision assembly scenarios where industrial assembly robots pinch microelectronic components (such as 0805 packaged surface mount resistors). Based on Embodiment 1, this device integrates a flexible strain sensor (carbon nanotube / silicone rubber composite material, initial resistance 100Ω, strain sensitivity coefficient 2.5) on the surface of a flexible bionic muscle-like cooperating body for real-time monitoring of deformation; a micro-film force sensor (range 0–2N, accuracy ±0.01N) is placed at the free end to collect and output tensile force; the control unit uses an STM32 microcontroller with a built-in PID control algorithm. When pinching a 2.0mm × 1.2mm surface mount resistor, the control unit sets the target pinching force to 0.2N. In the initial stage, the drive unit applies a 15V electric field to the second component group only. The finger slowly approaches the resistive surface with low stiffness (first axial stiffness approximately 0.02N / mm). When the sensing unit detects that the contact force reaches 0.02N, the control unit switches to PID closed-loop mode, adjusting the drive voltage of the first and second component groups in real time based on the force sensor feedback value. This allows the total output force to smoothly rise from 0.02N to 0.2N and remain stable, with fluctuations controlled within ±0.005N. During the gripping process, if the gripping force fluctuation exceeds the threshold due to conveyor belt vibration, the PID algorithm automatically adjusts the voltage amplitude within 10ms, allowing the gripping force to quickly recover to the set value. Upon release, the control unit reduces the voltage at a linear slope, allowing the gripping force to smoothly decay to zero. This embodiment, through the sensing unit and closed-loop control, achieves precise force control and dynamic compensation for micro-components, avoiding damage to components due to excessive force or slippage due to insufficient force. It provides a key drive control solution for industrial assembly robots to achieve efficient, reliable, and high-yield automated operations in the field of precision electronics manufacturing.

[0172] Example 4

[0173] This embodiment provides a bionic finger-driven control device for multi-tasking scenarios involving service robots handling spheres (such as tennis balls) and twisting operations (such as unscrewing bottle caps). The device includes a flexible bionic muscle coordinator that originates from a simulated hand base (corresponding to the carpal joint region of a biological hand), extends along the longitudinal arch of the hand, passes through the metacarpophalangeal joint, and travels along the palmar side of the phalanx. Its fixed end is integrated into the simulated hand base, achieving stable reaction force support through integral molding or mechanical anchoring. The free end is fixed to the palmar base of the distal phalanx via tendon cords or direct connection. The coordinator's interior is divided into a first component group and a second component group by multiple strip-shaped components: the first component group uses high-modulus SBAS material (elastic modulus 1.2 MPa, diameter 0.3 mm) with an axial stiffness EA / L ≈ 0.084 N / mm; the second component group uses low-modulus SBAS material (elastic modulus 0.4 MPa, diameter 0.2 mm) with an axial stiffness EA / L ≈ 0.0124 N / mm, with a stiffness ratio of approximately 6.8:1. The two component groups are coupled through a force transmission structure arranged in parallel. The drive unit uses a dual-channel independent voltage source.

[0174] When grasping the tennis ball, the drive unit first applies a 50V electric field for 200ms to the first component group, causing it to contract first near the simulated palm base, generating the initial wavefront of the contraction wave. After a delay of 80ms, a 30V electric field for 300ms is applied to the second component group, gradually activating it along the length of the collaborative body. This allows the contraction wave to be transmitted segment by segment from the simulated palm base through the metacarpophalangeal joints to the fingertips. During this process, each phalanx responds sequentially: the proximal phalanx flexes first, followed by the middle phalanx, and finally the distal phalanx, forming a "curling" motion from proximal to distal, causing the fingers to successively wrap around the surface of the tennis ball. Because the contraction wave is transmitted from the base of the palm, the force value of the collaborative body increases gradually during the transmission process. The output force at the moment the fingertips contact the tennis ball is relatively low, avoiding impact that could cause the ball to bounce away. As the contraction wave is fully transmitted to the free end, the overall contraction force of the collaborative body reaches its peak, and the fingers stabilize and wrap the tennis ball with gradually increasing gripping force, completing the grasp. Upon release, the drive unit sequentially stops the electric field excitation, the contractile force of the cooperating body smoothly decays, and each phalanx extends and resets in the order of distal, mid, and proximal, allowing the tennis ball to be released naturally. This embodiment, by placing the fixed end of the cooperating body on a simulated palm base, accurately simulates the complete anatomical path of the human finger flexor tendons from the carpal tunnel into the palm and then extending to the phalanges, making the transmission of the contractile wave and the timing of phalanx flexion more consistent with biomechanical characteristics.

[0175] In the curling grip mode (such as gripping a tennis ball): the drive unit applies a 50V electric field to the first component group, causing it to contract rapidly and generate axial tension, driving the knuckles to flex towards the palm; after a delay of 80ms, a 30V electric field is applied to the second component group, causing it to generate a wave-like contraction wave that is transmitted from the fixed end to the free end, causing the knuckles to flex sequentially in the order of proximal, middle, and distal ends, forming a "curling" motion trajectory from near to far. The knuckles gradually envelop the ball, and the gripping force smoothly increases from 0.1N to 1.2N.

[0176] In the twisting operation mode (such as unscrewing a mineral water bottle cap): the drive unit simultaneously applies a 45V electric field to the first and second component groups. The first component group generates axial contraction to drive the knuckles to flex, while the second component group, due to its helical arrangement, generates a torsional torque around the axis, causing the knuckles to rotate clockwise simultaneously with flexion. The cooperative body of the thumb and index finger adopts a symmetrical helical arrangement (the index finger rotates left-handedly, and the thumb rotates right-handedly). Under the combined movement of flexion and torsion, the fingertips rotate in opposite directions, forming a "counter-twisting" posture highly similar to that of a human when unscrewing a bottle cap, outputting a torque of approximately 0.15 N·m, which is sufficient to tighten or loosen a standard mineral water bottle cap.

[0177] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a biomimetic hand-twisting bottle cap action according to one embodiment of this application. (Refer to...) Figure 7 As shown, the specific implementation process in the application scenario of bionic hand-twisting bottle caps is as follows:

[0178] When the bionic hand performs the bottle cap tightening operation, the bottle cap's position is first precisely located using a visual sensor or force guidance system. Based on the bottle cap's geometric center and spatial orientation, the central drive control module controls the bionic hand to move directly above the cap, aligning the tips of the thumb and forefinger with the anti-slip textured areas on either side of the cap. At this point, the flexible bionic muscles of the two fingers are in a low-stiffness, non-gripping state. Only the second component group applies a low-voltage electric field, allowing the fingers to gently press against the sides of the cap in a compliant posture, with the fingertips making parallel contact with the cap surface. This ensures the stability of the initial contact while preventing the cap from shifting due to rigid impact.

[0179] After positioning and contact are completed, the central module sends a "simultaneous drive" command to the thumb and index finger drive units, simultaneously applying a 45V drive electric field to the first and second component groups of the two finger cooperating units. The first component group contracts axially, driving the knuckles to flex towards the palm, causing the fingertips to firmly grip the side of the bottle cap. The second component group generates a torsional torque around the axis due to its helical arrangement. The second component group of the index finger cooperating unit uses a left-handed helical winding, generating a clockwise torsional torque during contraction, while the second component group of the thumb cooperating unit uses a right-handed helical winding, generating a counterclockwise torsional torque during contraction. Under the combined movement of flexion and torsion, the fingertips rotate in opposite directions, forming a "counter-rotating" posture highly similar to that of a human twisting a bottle cap, outputting a torque of approximately 0.15 N·m. The central module monitors the gripping force and torsional torque in real time through a force sensor. When it detects that the bottle cap has started to rotate, it maintains a continuous output of the drive electric field, causing the fingers to rotate synchronously with the bottle cap until the cap is completely loosened.

[0180] When the bottle cap loosens and needs to be removed, the central module first stops the twisting drive of the thumb and forefinger, allowing the two fingers to return to a flexed gripping state. Then, the central module controls the wrist joint of the bionic hand to move the palm away from the bottle opening, while gradually reducing the driving voltage of the finger cooperating components, smoothly decreasing the gripping force from 0.8N to 0.2N. The fingers then smoothly remove the bottle cap from the bottle opening. After the bottle cap is completely removed from the bottle opening, the central module stops all driving electric fields, causing the first and second component groups to relax sequentially. The fingers extend and reset in the order of distal, mid, and proximal ends, and the bottle cap is naturally released from the fingertips into the designated container. The entire process achieves complete closed-loop control from precise positioning and counter-rotating to smooth removal, enabling the bionic hand to smoothly and precisely loosen and remove bottle caps, just like a human hand.

[0181] This embodiment achieves the switching between two modes of operation—curling gripping and twisting—by utilizing the stiffness differences and helical arrangement of components within the same cooperating body. This allows the bionic hand to perform diverse tasks, from flexible gripping to rigid twisting, without the need for an additional rotational degree-of-freedom drive mechanism, significantly improving the device's structural compactness and task adaptability.

[0182] Example 5

[0183] This embodiment provides a bionic hand drive control device applied to a logistics sorting robot handling multi-shaped objects such as spheres (e.g., basketballs), cylinders (e.g., water cups), and flat objects (e.g., cardboard boxes). The device includes five bionic finger drive control devices (each finger employing the collaborative structure described in Embodiment 1) and one palm drive control device. The palm simulation structure incorporates a horizontal bow adjustment mechanism (along the width direction) and a vertical bow adjustment mechanism (along the length direction). The flexible bionic muscle collaborative in the palm drive control device is arranged along the bowstring direction, with its fixed end connected to one side of the palm and its free end connected to the movable end of the bow-shaped adjustment mechanism. The central drive control module communicates with each finger drive unit and the palm drive unit via a CAN bus.

[0184] When grasping a ball (such as a basketball): The central module first sends a command to the palm drive unit, driving the transverse arch coordinator to contract (applying a 55V electric field, contracting by 8mm), reducing the radius of curvature of the palm's transverse arch from 80mm to 45mm, forming a "bowl-shaped" indentation. Subsequently, the central module sends sequential grasping commands to the five-finger drive unit: the thumb flexes and positions itself first, followed by the index and middle fingers flexing simultaneously after a 60ms interval, and then the ring and little fingers flexing simultaneously after another 60ms interval, with each finger sequentially enveloping the basketball surface from proximal to distal. Because the palm has already formed an indentation matching the ball's surface, the fingers only need to apply a grasping force of 0.6N to achieve a stable grip, with a grasping success rate of 98.5%.

[0185] When grasping a cylindrical object (such as a water cup): The central module sends a command to the palm drive unit to maintain a moderate horizontal bow curvature (curvature radius of about 60mm), while simultaneously driving the longitudinal bow cooperating body to contract (applying a 40V electric field), increasing the curvature of the palm's longitudinal bow and forming a longitudinal indentation that fits into the cup body; the fingers adopt a thumb and index finger opposing grip mode, and the two fingers flex while rotating axially due to the spiral arrangement inside the cooperating body, so that the fingertips fit into the curved surfaces on both sides of the cup body, achieving a wraparound grip.

[0186] When gripping flat objects (such as cardboard boxes): The central module sends a reverse command to the palm drive unit, causing the horizontal bow cooperating body to extend (by applying a reverse voltage, the radius of curvature of the horizontal bow increases to 120mm), while the vertical bow cooperating body relaxes, allowing the palm to flatten into a planar shape; the five fingers adopt a flat posture, with the fingertips and finger pads contacting the bottom of the cardboard box together. By simultaneously activating the two component groups of each finger cooperating body, a rigidity enhancement effect is generated, and the overall gripping force is increased to 5N, which is sufficient to stably carry heavy objects.

[0187] This embodiment uses a central drive module to coordinate the timing control of multiple fingers and the adjustment of the palm's arch shape, enabling the bionic hand to dynamically switch gripping strategies according to the shape of the object. This achieves adaptive gripping of objects ranging from spheres and cylinders to flat objects, significantly improving the operational efficiency and gripping stability of the logistics sorting robot when handling diverse materials.

[0188] Example 6

[0189] This embodiment provides a bionic finger-driven control device for adaptive compensation scenarios in the long-term operation of a precision assembly robot. Based on Embodiment 1, this device integrates a flexible strain sensor (carbon nanotube / silicone rubber composite material, initial resistance 100Ω, strain sensitivity coefficient 2.5, range 0–30% strain) on the surface of a flexible bionic muscle coordinator; a micro-thin-film force sensor (range 0–5N, accuracy ±0.01N) is placed at the free end of the coordinator; the control unit uses an STM32 microcontroller with a built-in PID control algorithm and self-diagnostic program. During operation, the device continuously collects sensor data and compares it with the initial calibration values ​​to achieve adaptive compensation.

[0190] After 300 hours of continuous operation, the control unit detected that, under the same driving voltage (40V), the deformation reported by the strain sensor decreased from an initial 8.5% to 7.8%, a drop of approximately 8.2%, indicating performance degradation of the electro-actuated material. The control unit automatically increased the driving voltage from 40V to 43.5V, restoring the deformation to 8.5% and maintaining consistent output force. Simultaneously, the control unit recorded the degradation curve, predicted the remaining lifespan, and proactively issued a maintenance prompt when the warning threshold was reached.

[0191] When the ambient temperature rises from 25℃ to 35℃, the elastic modulus of the material changes, resulting in a decrease in output force of approximately 12% under the same voltage. The control unit monitors the gripping force in real time through a force sensor and automatically adjusts the voltage amplitude in PID closed-loop control to keep the gripping force stable at the set value of 0.5N, with fluctuations controlled within ±0.01N, ensuring that assembly accuracy is not affected by the environment.

[0192] The control unit monitors the response relationship between the strain sensor and the force sensor in real time. When it detects that the strain response is normal but the force output is significantly lower (deviation exceeds 15%) under normal drive voltage, it determines that the force transmission path may be loose or fatigued, immediately stops operation, and reports a fault code to avoid poor assembly or equipment damage due to drive failure.

[0193] This embodiment achieves adaptive compensation for material aging and environmental changes, as well as pre-diagnosis of potential faults, through sensing units and closed-loop control. This enables the precision assembly robot to maintain consistent gripping force, assembly accuracy, and system reliability during long-term operation, significantly reducing maintenance costs and production downtime risks.

[0194] This application also provides a bionic hand drive control device for use in a robotic bionic hand, wherein the robotic bionic hand includes a palm simulation structure and a plurality of bionic fingers, each of which includes a knuckle structure.

[0195] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a bionic hand drive control device provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0196] Reference Figure 8 As shown, the bionic hand drive control device 80 may include:

[0197] Multiple bionic finger drive control devices 10, and each bionic finger drive control device 10 is used to drive a corresponding bionic finger;

[0198] The central drive control module 801 is communicatively connected to the drive unit in each bionic finger drive control device 10 and is configured to independently send control commands to each drive unit.

[0199] The central drive control module 801 is configured to coordinate and control multiple bionic finger drive control devices 10, so that the multiple bionic fingers as a whole perform motion output that conforms to the movement characteristics of the human hand.

[0200] In some embodiments, the central drive control module may adopt an embedded microprocessor, FPGA, or distributed control system architecture, and establish a real-time data link with each finger drive control device through bus communication (such as CAN bus, EtherCAT, or custom serial protocol). According to the upper-level task planning (such as grasping instructions, gesture recognition, or trajectory planning), the central drive control module independently generates control instructions for each finger, including parameters such as motion mode, drive timing, force / position target, etc., and sends them to the drive unit of the corresponding finger. The drive unit applies a corresponding drive electric field to the flexible bionic muscle coordinator of the finger accordingly, so that each finger independently produces flexion, extension, twisting and other movements. In this hierarchical architecture, the central drive control module and the individual finger drive control devices form a control system of "centralized planning and distributed execution." The central module is responsible for overall motion coordination and task decomposition, while each finger device independently completes the underlying drive and closed-loop control. This ensures the coordination of the overall hand movements while reducing the real-time computing pressure on the central processor. On the other hand, by arranging the timing and adjusting the amplitude of the independent control commands for each finger, the central drive control module can simulate the natural process of human hand grasping objects. This allows for a "sequential grasping" mode where fingers sequentially contact and envelop objects, a "pinching" mode where the thumb and forefinger move in opposite directions, or a "powerful grasping" mode where all five fingers work together to envelop the object. This enables the overall execution of complex operations such as grasping, holding, pinching, clamping, twisting, and rotating, which are consistent with the movement characteristics of the human hand. This configuration gives the bionic hand comprehensive capabilities at the overall level: programmable motion modes, adaptable grasping strategies, and adjustable multi-finger coordination. It provides a system-level control foundation for the bionic hand to achieve human-like dexterous operations in fields such as service robots, medical rehabilitation, and industrial assembly.

[0201] In some embodiments, the central drive control module is configured to simulate the sequential grasping pattern of a human hand grasping an object by controlling the timing of the electric fields applied to different bionic finger drive control devices, where the fingers sequentially contact and envelop the object.

[0202] In a specific implementation, the central drive control module pre-plans the activation sequence of each finger based on the shape, size, and gripping strategy of the object to be grasped. It then sends time-stamped drive commands to each finger drive control device via bus communication, causing the flexible bionic muscle coordination of each finger to respond to the electric field excitation and generate contraction deformation in a preset sequence. This allows the fingers to contact the object surface in a natural order: the thumb prioritizes positioning, the index and middle fingers successively envelop the finger, and the ring and little fingers close last. In this sequential control method, the bionic hand, by having the fingers make contact sequentially rather than closing simultaneously, can, like a human hand, first use the thumb and forefinger to initially locate the object, and then gradually place the other fingers onto the object's surface. This effectively avoids instability in grasping or slippage of the object due to positional deviations when multiple fingers make contact simultaneously. The sequential grasping mode allows each finger to make fine adjustments based on the actual contact state after contacting the object. The central drive control module can dynamically adjust the drive parameters of subsequent fingers based on the feedback signal from the first contacting finger, improving the adaptability and success rate of the grasp. This mode simulates the "exploratory contact" mechanism of biological hand grasping, enabling the bionic hand to complete the envelopment in a gentler and more natural way when grasping unknown shapes or flexible objects, reducing impact damage to the object.

[0203] For example, in an application scenario where a bionic hand grasps a cylindrical water cup, the central drive control module, based on the diameter and position information of the cup, first sends a drive command to the thumb drive control device, causing the thumb to flex towards one side of the cup, forming an initial positioning point. After approximately 50 milliseconds, it sends a command to the index finger drive control device, causing the index finger to flex and contact the front of the cup. After another 50 milliseconds, it sends a command to the middle finger drive control device, causing the middle finger to flex and conform to the side and rear of the cup. Finally, it simultaneously sends commands to the ring and little finger drive control devices, causing the two fingers to flex sequentially to completely envelop the cup. Throughout this process, the flexible bionic muscles of each finger contract and deform sequentially according to a preset time sequence, allowing the fingers to grasp the cup like a human hand, first positioning the cup with the thumb and index finger, then gradually wrapping it with the remaining fingers, ultimately forming a stable grip. If, during the grasping process, the contact force provided by the index finger reaches a preset threshold, the central drive control module can automatically shorten the activation interval of subsequent fingers or adjust the drive amplitude, allowing the fingers to complete the envelopment more quickly. If a displacement of the cup is detected, the central module can also adjust the flexion angle of the unactivated fingers in real time to adaptively conform to the object's surface. This sequential grasping mode enables the bionic hand to exhibit compliant, progressive, and adaptive movement characteristics highly similar to the human hand when grasping everyday objects, significantly improving the grasping success rate and the naturalness of operation.

[0204] In some embodiments, the central drive control module is configured to control the corresponding bionic finger to flex before applying force or to position before applying force by controlling the timing of the electric field applied to different component groups within the same bionic finger drive control device.

[0205] In one embodiment, the central drive control module generates drive commands with different start times for the first component group (high-stiffness component group) and the second component group (low-stiffness component group) within the same finger, and sends them to the drive unit of the finger via bus communication. The drive unit then applies staggered drive electric fields to the two component groups accordingly. For example, in the "flexion-then-force" mode, the central module first instructs the drive unit to apply an electric field to the low-stiffness second component group, causing it to undergo compliant bending deformation, driving the finger to quickly flex to the vicinity of the target position in a low-stiffness state, thus achieving the "flexion" or "positioning" action. After the finger approaches or contacts the object, the central module then instructs the drive unit to apply an electric field to the high-stiffness first component group, causing it to undergo high-stiffness contraction, providing a stable holding force for gripping, thus achieving the "force" or "force application" action. In this timing control mode, by decoupling the "positioning" and "force application" of the fingers in time, the bionic hand can approach and position objects gently, just like human fingers, avoiding premature force application that could cause the objects to bounce away or be damaged. After contacting the object, the high-rigidity component group is activated, which can dynamically adjust the timing and amplitude of force application according to the actual contact state (such as the shape of the object and positional deviation), improving the adaptability and success rate of grasping. This mode complements the "simultaneous drive" mode, enabling the bionic hand to achieve a smooth transition from fine positioning to strong grasping on the same finger, significantly improving the ability to manipulate fragile, slippery, or irregularly shaped objects.

[0206] For example, in an application scenario where the bionic hand performs a "light touch and pinch" of a thin piece of paper, the central drive control module first sends a timing command of "flexion first, then force" to the index finger drive control device. In the initial stage, the drive unit applies a drive electric field only to the low-stiffness second component group inside the index finger, causing the index finger to flex slowly in a low-stiffness state, with the fingertip gently approaching the edge of the paper. During this process, because the contraction force generated by the second component group is small and the deformation is smooth, only a very low impact force is generated when the finger contacts the paper, preventing the paper from being blown away or displaced. When the fingertip accurately contacts the edge of the paper, the central drive control module, based on the contact signal fed back by the sensing unit, immediately instructs the drive unit to apply a drive electric field to the high-stiffness first component group, causing it to contract with high stiffness, providing sufficient clamping force for grasping. At this time, the force exerted by the first component group is superimposed with the existing holding force of the second component group, causing the grasping force to smoothly rise from zero to the preset pinching force value, stably clamping the paper. Throughout the process, the fingers first achieve precise positioning (flexion) and then apply grasping force (force exertion), avoiding potential issues of inaccurate positioning or excessive force that might occur with simultaneous actuation. When it is necessary to release the paper, the central module can first stop the excitation of the first component group, causing the grasping force to decrease rapidly, and then stop the excitation of the second component group, allowing the fingers to smoothly extend and complete the release. This sequential control of flexion followed by force exertion enables the bionic hand to exhibit highly biomimetic motion characteristics similar to human fingers—"light touch followed by grasping"—when performing delicate pinching tasks, significantly improving the safety of handling thin, flexible, or fragile objects.

[0207] In some embodiments, at least one bionic finger drive control device has a flexible bionic muscle coordinator with a first component group and a second component group having a preset spatial arrangement relationship and / or stiffness difference. It is configured to generate a torsional torque about the finger axis in response to the drive electric field applied by the drive unit under the control of the central drive control module, so that the finger performs a flexion action while being accompanied by a natural axial rotation, so as to simulate the combined finger-opposing and rotational motion of a human finger when grasping a ball or cylinder.

[0208] In one embodiment, the first component group and the second component group can be arranged in a spiral pattern in space: specifically, the first component group is arranged in a straight line along the finger axis, mainly used to provide axial contraction force to drive buckling; the second component group is wound around the outer periphery of the first component group or embedded inside the cooperative body in a spiral path. When the driving electric field is applied, the contraction deformation generated by the second component group generates a circumferential component due to its spiral arrangement, thereby forming a torsional moment around the axis on the cooperative body; at the same time, by setting a stiffness difference between the first component group and the second component group (the first component group has higher axial stiffness and the second component group has lower axial stiffness), the ratio of torsional moment to buckling moment can be further controlled, so that the two cooperate in space to form a composite motion of buckling and torsion. This configuration allows the bionic fingers to flex and rotate axially simultaneously when grasping spheres or cylinders, just like human fingers. This allows the fingertips to better conform to the curved surface of the object, increasing the gripping contact area and frictional stability. The introduction of torsional torque enables the fingers to adaptively adjust the fingertip direction when enveloping the object, simulating the "opposing finger" posture of the human hand when grasping a cylinder (i.e., the thumb and index finger rotate relative to each other), thus achieving a stable circumferential grip on the cylinder. Thirdly, this composite motion mode allows the bionic hand to perform actions that require "rotation," such as twisting bottle caps or rotating knobs, without the need for additional rotational degree-of-freedom drive mechanisms. This can be achieved simply through the spatial arrangement and stiffness control of the components within the same cooperating body, simplifying the system structure.

[0209] It's important to clarify that "fingertip rotation" refers to the phenomenon where, when the thumb and index finger grasp a cylinder (such as a water bottle), the fingertips don't simply bend towards the palm. Instead, during the bending process, each fingertip rotates around its axis, causing the originally forward-facing fingertips to turn relative to each other, creating a spatial "facing" or "encircling" posture. Specifically, when a human grasps a cylinder, the thumb rotates inward (counter-clockwise) around its axis, while the index finger rotates outward (clockwise), causing the fingertips to shift from facing the palm to conforming to the two curved sides of the cylinder, thus achieving a wraparound embrace. This "fingertip-facing" posture expands the contact between the fingers and the object from point contact to surface contact, significantly increasing grip stability and representing a typical natural movement when the human hand grasps a cylinder. By using the spiral arrangement and stiffness difference between the first and second component groups inside the collaborative body, a torsional torque around the finger axis is generated while buckling is driven. This is precisely to simulate this biological movement characteristic, so that the bionic finger can also achieve relative rotation of the fingertip when grasping a cylinder, achieving a wraparound grasping effect similar to that of the human hand.

[0210] For example, in an application scenario where a bionic hand grasps a cylindrical water bottle, the central drive control module sends a command to the index finger drive control device, instructing it to rotate clockwise axially while flexing. In the flexible bionic muscle coordination of this finger, the first component group is arranged in a straight line along the axial direction, and the second component group is arranged in a left-handed helical path, with a stiffness ratio of 5:1. When the drive unit simultaneously applies a driving electric field to both component groups, the first component group contracts axially, driving the index finger joint to flex towards the palm; the second component group, due to its helical arrangement, generates a torsional torque around the axial direction, causing the index finger to rotate axially during flexion, with the fingertip pointing towards the rear side of the water bottle. Simultaneously, the thumb drive control device is symmetrically configured, causing the thumb to rotate counterclockwise axially during flexion, with the fingertip pointing towards the front side of the water bottle. Under the combined movement of flexion and rotation, the fingertips adhere to the surface of the water bottle in a wrapping posture, forming a "finger-to-finger wrapping" grip pattern highly similar to that of a human hand grasping a water bottle. When the bottle cap needs to be unscrewed, the central drive control module further adjusts the driving timing and amplitude ratio of the first and second component groups, increasing the axial rotation angle of the thumb and forefinger while maintaining flexion, simulating the twisting motion of a human when unscrewing a bottle cap. This design, which achieves combined flexion and torsion motion through the spatial arrangement and stiffness differences of the component groups, allows the bionic hand to grasp spheres, cylinders, or perform rotational operations without the need for complex external rotation mechanisms. It can achieve natural combined movements similar to a human hand with a simple structure, significantly improving the structural compactness and biomimetic properties of the bionic hand.

[0211] In some embodiments, the bionic hand drive control device further includes at least one palm drive control device applied to the palm simulation structure of the robot's bionic hand. The palm simulation structure includes a palm arch adjustment mechanism. The palm drive control device includes at least one flexible bionic muscle cooperator, which serves as the drive source for the palm arch adjuster. It responds to the deformation generated by the drive electric field applied by the central drive control module to adjust the curvature of the horizontal arch, vertical arch, or oblique arch of the palm arch adjustment mechanism, so as to cooperate with multiple bionic finger drive control devices to complete the grasping of objects of different shapes.

[0212] In one embodiment, the hand-simulating structure can adopt a multi-segment flexible architecture, with a transverse bow adjustment mechanism (such as an elastic bow-shaped skeleton) arranged along the width direction, a longitudinal bow adjustment mechanism arranged along the length direction, and an oblique bow adjustment mechanism arranged along the diagonal direction. The flexible bionic muscle cooperator in the hand-driven control device can be arranged along the bowstring direction of the transverse, longitudinal, or oblique bows, with its fixed end connected to one side of the hand-simulating structure and its free end connected to the movable end of the corresponding bow-shaped adjustment mechanism. When the central drive control module applies a driving electric field to the cooperator, the cooperator undergoes contraction deformation, pulling the bow-shaped adjustment mechanism to tighten or loosen, thereby changing the radius of curvature of the corresponding bow. In this configuration, by actively adjusting the curvature of the palm's arch, the bionic hand can dynamically adjust the curvature of its palm according to the shape of the object being grasped. For example, when grasping a sphere, the curvature of the transverse arch is increased to form a "bowl-shaped" enveloping surface, while when grasping a flat surface, the curvature of the longitudinal arch is reduced to flatten the palm, significantly improving the fit between the palm and the object and the stability of the grasp. The palm's arch adjustment works in synergy with the flexion movement of the fingers, with the fingers responsible for precise envelopment and the palm responsible for providing a large-scale support surface. Together, they can achieve adaptive grasping of spherical, cylindrical, flat, and irregularly shaped objects. Through a flexible bionic muscle coordinator as the driving source, the palm's arch adjustment has the same compliant and smooth characteristics as finger-driven adjustment, avoiding the impact and noise that may be caused by rigid adjustment mechanisms.

[0213] For example, in an application scenario where a bionic hand grasps a basketball, when the central drive control module recognizes the object to be grasped as a sphere, it first sends a command to the palm drive control device. This command drives the flexible bionic muscle coordinators arranged along the transverse arch direction to contract and deform, significantly increasing the curvature of the transverse arch of the simulated palm structure and adjusting the palm from a flat state to a "bowl-shaped" curved surface. Subsequently, the central module sends a coordinated command to the bionic finger drive control devices corresponding to the five fingers, causing each finger to flex sequentially according to the grasping pattern, enveloping the surface of the basketball from different directions. Since the palm has a pre-formed concave surface that matches the sphere, when the fingers flex, the basketball is stably contained in the curved concave surface of the palm. The fingers only need to provide a small clamping force to achieve a stable grip, avoiding the risk of slippage caused by the small contact area and concentrated force when relying solely on finger gripping. When the bionic hand needs to grasp a flat object (such as a book), the central module drives the transverse arch coordinator to extend, reducing the curvature of the palm's transverse arch to a near-straight state. Simultaneously, it drives the longitudinal arch coordinator to adjust the palm into a flat shape, allowing the fingers to grip the book's edges from both sides in a flattened posture, achieving adaptive gripping of objects of different shapes. This configuration, which actively adjusts the palm's arch curvature through flexible bionic muscle coordinators, allows the bionic hand to form a natural concavity when grasping a sphere, similar to a human hand, and to quickly flatten when grasping a flat surface, significantly improving the bionic hand's adaptability and operational stability in grasping objects of different shapes.

[0214] In some embodiments, the central drive control module is configured to: when the bionic hand is in a non-grasping state, control the flexible bionic muscle cooperators in the multiple bionic finger drive control devices to make the drive unit apply a drive electric field only to the first component group or only to the second component group; when the bionic hand is in a grasping state, control the flexible bionic muscle cooperators in the multiple bionic finger drive control devices to make the drive unit apply a drive electric field to the first component group and the second component group simultaneously, or increase the applied electric field strength, or change the applied electric field frequency.

[0215] In one implementation, the central drive control module determines whether the bionic hand is in a non-grasping state (e.g., idle, moving, or exploratory approach to an object) or a grasping state (e.g., requiring stable gripping after contact with an object) through state recognition (e.g., based on visual perception, grasping commands, or force feedback signals). Based on this, it generates corresponding global control commands and sends them to the drive units of each finger drive control device via bus communication. In the non-grasping state, the drive unit activates only a single component group in each finger coordinator (usually a low-stiffness second component group), causing the coordinator to exhibit a first axial stiffness (low-stiffness state). The fingers move in a compliant, low-resistance posture, avoiding rigid collisions with the external environment. In the grasping state, the drive unit selects to simultaneously activate two component groups (achieving a stiffness enhancement effect), increase the electric field strength (increasing contractile force), or change the electric field frequency (adjusting response characteristics) according to the grasping requirements, causing the coordinator to exhibit a second axial stiffness (high-stiffness state). The fingers complete the grasping with a stable, high-output posture. In this configuration, dual-mode control—"compliant and safe when not grasping, and rigid and stable when grasping"—is achieved through state switching. This gives the bionic hand good passive compliance when approaching objects, preventing damage to objects or its own structure due to rigid impacts. In the grasping state, three strategies can be flexibly selected: rigidity enhancement, force amplification, or frequency conversion, which are suitable for different tasks such as heavy object grasping, fine gripping, and dynamic adaptive grasping, respectively, significantly improving the bionic hand's task adaptability. The state switching mechanism, combined with the independent drive of each finger, allows the bionic hand to maintain a low-energy, low-wear standby mode when not grasping, and to quickly respond to user commands when grasping, balancing system efficiency and operational performance.

[0216] For example, when the bionic hand performs the task of "picking up a fragile egg from a table and transferring it to a container," when the bionic hand is in a non-grasping state (i.e., the fingers have not yet touched the egg but are moving towards it), the central drive control module instructs each finger drive control device to apply a low-voltage drive electric field only to the low-stiffness second component group, causing the flexible bionic muscle collaboration of all fingers to exhibit a first axial stiffness (low-stiffness state). In this state, the fingers act like flexible soft structures. When the fingers accidentally collide with the edge of the table or other obstacles during movement, the low-stiffness fingers can passively bend to absorb the impact force, avoiding damage to the fingers or displacement of objects due to rigid collisions. At the same time, when the fingers approach the egg, the low-stiffness state allows them to gently contact the egg surface. Even if the positioning is slightly off, the fingers will conform to the curvature of the egg and undergo slight deformation without exerting impact force on the eggshell. After contacting the egg, the sensing unit feeds back a contact signal, the central module determines that it has entered the grasping state, and immediately switches the control strategy.

[0217] Taking the grasping state in the same task as an example, when the central drive control module receives the feedback signal that the fingers are in contact with the egg, it immediately switches the bionic hand to the grasping state. It instructs each finger drive control device to simultaneously apply a driving electric field to the first component group and the second component group, so that the collaborative body exhibits a second axial stiffness (high stiffness state), and simultaneously increases the electric field amplitude to enhance the output force. In this state, the axial stiffness of the finger collaborative body increases instantaneously. The first component group provides high stiffness support, and the second component group supplements the continuous contraction force. The superposition of the two causes the grasping force to rise smoothly from zero (such as rising to the preset 0.8N), which is sufficient to stably hold the egg without crushing the eggshell. At the same time, the central module adjusts the drive parameters of each finger according to the shape of the egg (elliptical): the thumb and index finger use a medium electric field amplitude to achieve precise finger-to-finger pinching, while the other three fingers use a lower electric field amplitude to only provide auxiliary support, avoiding the eggshell from cracking due to excessive inward compression of the five fingers. During the grasping process, if the egg shows signs of slipping, the central module can further increase the electric field frequency (e.g., from 10Hz to 50Hz) to enable the cooperating components to respond quickly and dynamically adjust the grasping force to maintain stable holding. When the egg is transferred above the container and needs to be released, the central module switches back to the non-grasping state. It first stops the excitation of the first component group, causing the grasping force to drop rapidly to the contact threshold, and then stops the excitation of the second component group, allowing the fingers to smoothly extend and release the egg. The entire process achieves a complete closed-loop control from compliant approach to rigid grasping and then to compliant release, fully demonstrating the precise adaptability of the state switching mechanism to the grasping task of fragile objects.

[0218] The following describes the bionic hand drive control device provided in this application in detail through several specific embodiments.

[0219] Example 7

[0220] This embodiment provides a bionic hand-driven control device applied to scenarios where service robots grasp irregularly shaped objects (such as fruits and tools). The device includes five bionic finger-driven control units (each finger employs a two-component collaborative structure) and a central drive control module. The central module communicates with each finger drive unit via a CAN bus, pre-planning the activation sequence of each finger based on the shape of the object to be grasped (such as an oval mango). The central module first sends a command to the thumb drive unit, causing the thumb to flex to 15°, forming an initial positioning point. After a 50ms interval, it simultaneously sends commands to the index and middle finger drive units, causing both fingers to flex to 30°, initially enveloping the front of the object. After another 50ms interval, it sends commands to the ring and little finger drive units, causing both fingers to flex to 45°, completing the complete envelopment of the object. Throughout the process, the grasping force of each finger smoothly increases from 0.2N (initial contact) to 1.5N (complete envelopment), avoiding positional interference caused by simultaneous contact of multiple fingers. When grasping a mango, due to the mango's irregular shape, the central module can dynamically adjust the flexion angle of subsequent fingers based on the force feedback signal from the first contacting finger, so that each fingertip fits closely to the mango's curved surface.

[0221] This embodiment achieves a sequential grasping mode through multi-finger timing control, enabling the bionic hand to locate the object first with the thumb and then wrap the object with the other fingers in sequence, just like a human hand, which significantly improves the success rate and adaptability of grasping irregularly shaped objects.

[0222] Example 8

[0223] This embodiment provides a bionic hand drive control device applied to industrial handling robots processing a mixture of fragile and heavy materials. The device includes five bionic finger drive control units (each finger employs a two-component collaborative structure), a palm arch adjustment drive unit, and a central drive control module. The central module dynamically switches the overall hand stiffness state according to the grasping task (lightly grasping fragile items or heavily grasping heavy objects). When handling an egg, the central module instructs each finger drive unit to enter a "non-grasping state" mode, applying a 20V electric field only to the second component group (low-stiffness component group) of each finger collaborative body, causing all fingers to exhibit a first axial stiffness (low stiffness, approximately 0.02N / mm), allowing the fingers to approach the egg in a compliant posture. After contact, the central module switches to a "grasping state" mode, simultaneously applying a 35V electric field to both the first and second component groups of each finger collaborative body, causing the fingers to exhibit a second axial stiffness (high stiffness, approximately 0.08N / mm), smoothly increasing the gripping force from 0.1N to 0.8N, stably holding the egg without breaking it. When moving a metal block, the central module directly instructs each finger to enter the "grip state" mode, and at the same time applies a 55V electric field to the first and second component groups, so that the fingers are in a high-rigidity state and the gripping force quickly rises to 5N, achieving a stable grip.

[0224] This embodiment enables the bionic hand to flexibly switch between "compliant contact" and "rigid grip" states through whole-hand stiffness control. At the same time, combined with palm arch adjustment (increasing the horizontal arch curvature when gripping a ball and flattening the palm when gripping a flat plate), it achieves dual-mode adaptive gripping of fragile and heavy objects, significantly improving the operational efficiency and safety of industrial handling robots in mixed material sorting tasks.

[0225] Example 9

[0226] This embodiment provides a bionic hand drive control device applied to a home service robot performing a combined task of twisting bottle caps and pinching thin objects. The device includes drive control units for the thumb and index finger, each finger equipped with a flexible bionic muscle cooperator. The cooperator originates from a simulated palm base (corresponding to the carpal joint region of a biological hand), extends along the longitudinal arch of the palm, passes through the metacarpophalangeal joint, and travels along the palmar side of the phalanx. Its fixed end is integrated inside the simulated palm base, and its free end is connected to the distal phalanx via tendon ligaments. The cooperator's interior is divided into a first component group and a second component group by multiple strip-shaped components. The second component group is wound around the periphery of the first component group in a spiral path: the second component group of the index finger cooperator uses a left-handed spiral winding, and the second component group of the thumb cooperator uses a right-handed spiral winding. The drive unit uses a multi-channel independent voltage source to control the electric field application to the two component groups within each finger.

[0227] When twisting the bottle cap, the system first uses a vision sensor to precisely position the cap. The central drive control module then moves the bionic hand directly above the cap, aligning the tips of the thumb and index finger with the anti-slip textured areas on either side of the cap. At this point, the two fingers are in a low-stiffness, non-gripping state. Only the second component group is subjected to a 15V low-voltage electric field, allowing the fingers to gently press against the sides of the cap with a compliant posture, forming parallel contact between the fingertips and the cap surface. After positioning and contact are established, the central module sends a "simultaneous drive" command to the thumb and index finger drive units, simultaneously applying a 45V drive electric field to the first and second component groups of the two fingers. The first component group contracts axially, driving the knuckles to flex towards the palm, ensuring the fingertips firmly grip the sides of the cap. The second component group, due to its spiral arrangement, generates a torsional torque around the axis, causing the index finger to twist clockwise and the thumb to twist counterclockwise. The two fingers, under the combined motion of flexion and torsion, form an opposing twisting posture, outputting a torque of approximately 0.15 N·m. Because the fixed end of the cooperating body is located on the palm-simulated base, the contraction force is smoothly transmitted from the base of the palm to the fingertips, avoiding torque loss due to insufficient reaction force support, thus making the screwing process stable and continuous. When the bottle cap loosens, the central module gradually reduces the driving voltage, causing the clamping force to smoothly decrease from 0.8N to 0.2N, while controlling the wrist to move away from the bottle opening, bringing the bottle cap away from the bottle opening; finally, the electric field excitation stops, the cooperating bodies relax sequentially, and the bottle cap is released naturally.

[0228] This embodiment achieves two completely different operation modes, twisting and pinching, on the same bionic hand through the spiral arrangement and timing control of the internal components of the same finger. It does not require an additional rotating mechanism, has a compact structure and rich functions, and significantly improves the task execution capabilities of the home service robot in daily life.

[0229] Example 10

[0230] This embodiment provides a bionic hand drive control device applied to adaptive compensation scenarios during long-term operation of a precision electronic assembly robot. Based on Embodiment 1, this device integrates flexible strain sensors (carbon nanotube / silicone rubber composite material, initial resistance 100Ω, strain sensitivity coefficient 2.5) on the surface of each finger's collaborative body, and sets micro-thin-film force sensors (range 0-5N, accuracy ±0.01N) at the free end. The control unit incorporates a PID control algorithm and a self-diagnostic program, and the central drive control module works collaboratively with the control units of each finger. After the assembly robot has run continuously for 500 hours, the central module detects that under the same drive voltage (40V), the deformation of the index finger, as reported by the strain sensor, has decreased from the initial 8.5% to 7.6%, a drop of approximately 10.6%, indicating material performance degradation. The central module automatically increases the drive voltage of the index finger to 44V, restoring the deformation to 8.5% and maintaining consistent output force. When the ambient temperature rises from 25℃ to 35℃, the change in the material's elastic modulus causes a decrease in output force of approximately 10%. The central module monitors the gripping force in real time via a force sensor and automatically adjusts the voltage amplitude of each finger in PID closed-loop control to maintain the gripping force stably at the set value of 0.5N, with fluctuations controlled within ±0.01N. When it detects that under normal driving voltage, the strain response is normal but the force output is lower than 15%, the central module determines that the force transmission path may be loose, immediately stops operation, and reports a fault code.

[0231] This embodiment achieves proactive compensation for material aging and environmental changes, as well as pre-diagnosis of potential faults through a perception and adaptive compensation mechanism. This enables the precision assembly robot to maintain consistent gripping force, assembly accuracy, and system reliability during long-term operation, significantly reducing maintenance costs and production downtime risks.

[0232] Figure 9 This is a schematic flowchart of a bionic hand control method provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0233] This application also provides a bionic hand control method, applied to the bionic finger drive control device provided in this application, with reference to... Figure 9 As shown, the specific steps include:

[0234] S1: In response to a motion command, the drive unit starts and applies a drive electric field with preset parameters to the flexible bionic muscle cooperating body.

[0235] In some embodiments, the central drive control module or upper-level controller generates corresponding motion commands based on the grasping task (such as grasping an egg, twisting a bottle cap, or pinching a thin sheet). These commands include the target motion mode (such as sequential drive, simultaneous drive, or variable stiffness switching) and corresponding electric field parameters (including voltage amplitude, frequency, waveform, and the start and duration of each channel). Upon receiving the motion command, the drive unit initiates electric field output according to the preset parameters in its multi-channel independent output circuit. For example, in sequential control mode, a 50V, 200ms driving electric field is first output to the first component group (high stiffness), followed by an 80ms delay before outputting a 30V, 300ms electric field to the second component group (low stiffness). In simultaneous drive mode, a 45V, 250ms electric field is simultaneously output to both component groups. During this process, the drive unit monitors the output current and voltage in real time to ensure that the electric field parameters accurately match the preset values. This configuration associates motion commands with preset parameters, enabling the drive unit to quickly and accurately match the corresponding drive strategy according to different grasping tasks, achieving closed-loop parameterized control from "command reception" to "electric field output". At the same time, the multi-channel independent output design allows the drive unit to flexibly adjust the excitation timing and intensity of different component groups, providing a precise execution basis for the spatial and temporal coordination of multiple component groups within the collaborative body, thereby ensuring that the bionic finger can produce smooth and controllable flexion movements that conform to human movement characteristics.

[0236] S2: In response to the driving electric field, the first component group and the second component group in the flexible bionic muscle coordinator generate the first deformation and the second deformation respectively under the excitation of the electric field. The two coordinate with each other in space through the preset force transmission structure to jointly generate motion output, so as to drive the knuckle structure of the bionic finger to produce smooth motion that conforms to the flexion movement characteristics of human fingers.

[0237] In some embodiments, when the driving unit applies a driving electric field with preset parameters to the cooperating body, the first component group (high stiffness, such as a strip-shaped component with an elastic modulus of 1.2 MPa and a diameter of 0.3 mm) responds quickly to the electric field excitation due to its high axial stiffness, and first generates axial contraction deformation, forming the initial driving force; the second component group (low stiffness, such as a strip-shaped component with an elastic modulus of 0.4 MPa and a diameter of 0.2 mm) generates relatively compliant bending or delayed contraction deformation under the electric field excitation due to its lower stiffness. The two components are connected by a preset force transmission structure (such as parallel arrangement, screw...). Mechanical coupling is achieved through a combination of spiral wrapping or shared end connectors, allowing the rapid contraction force of the first component group and the progressive supplementary force of the second component group to be spatially superimposed or sequentially transmitted, jointly forming a smooth force-displacement motion output. This means the output force increases continuously and progressively with displacement. This motion output is transmitted to the distal end of the phalanx structure via tendons or direct connections through the free end of the cooperating body, driving the phalanx to bend sequentially from proximal to distal along its flexion freedom, forming a smooth flexion trajectory highly consistent with the "proximal to distal" curling motion of human fingers during grasping. Through the synergistic coupling of stiffness difference design and force transmission structure, the cooperating body simulates the temporal recruitment of fast and slow muscle fibers in biological muscles, avoiding the abrupt contractions and force output jumps common in single-material actuators. This drives the phalanx structure to produce continuous, compliant, and controllable smooth flexion motion, providing a biomimetic and safe driving foundation for the bionic hand to perform tasks such as grasping fragile objects and fine manipulation.

[0238] This application also provides a robot that can integrate the bionic finger drive control device or bionic hand drive control device provided in any embodiment of this application.

[0239] In some embodiments, the robot can be a service robot, such as a home care robot or a catering service robot. After integrating the aforementioned drive and control device, it can grasp fragile items such as eggs and fruits with compliant and smooth flexion movements, or perform delicate operations such as twisting bottle caps or pinching thin slices, significantly improving the safety of human interaction and the naturalness of task execution. The robot can also be a medical rehabilitation robot, such as a prosthetic hand or exoskeleton rehabilitation training device. By integrating the aforementioned device, it can achieve highly biomimetic multi-finger coordinated flexion and extension, providing amputees with a grasping function closer to a real hand, or providing rehabilitation patients with precise... The robot offers precise and adjustable force-assisted training. It can also be an industrial collaborative robot, such as a precision assembly robot or a logistics sorting robot. Integrating the aforementioned device enables millinewton-level force control precision when grasping microelectronic components, or allows for flexible gripping of fragile items and stable handling of heavy objects through hand-based stiffness switching when processing mixed materials. Furthermore, the robot can also be a special-purpose robot, such as a bomb disposal robot or a space exploration robot. By integrating the aforementioned drive and control device, and utilizing its compact structure, lack of external air source, and independent addressable drive capabilities, it can achieve multi-degree-of-freedom and multi-mode dexterous operation in confined spaces or complex environments. By integrating the bionic finger drive control device or bionic hand drive control device of this application into the aforementioned types of robots, the robot can acquire compliant, precise, and controllable grasping and manipulation capabilities consistent with human hand movement characteristics in different application scenarios, significantly expanding the robot's task adaptability and operational safety.

[0240] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A bionic hand drive control device, applied to a robotic bionic hand, the robotic bionic hand comprising a palm simulation structure and multiple bionic fingers, each of the bionic fingers comprising a phalanx structure, characterized in that, The bionic hand drive control device includes: Multiple bionic finger drive control devices, each of which is used to drive a corresponding bionic finger; A central drive control module, communicatively connected to the drive unit in each of the bionic finger drive control devices, is configured to independently send control commands to each of the drive units; and At least one palm drive control device is applied to the palm simulation structure of the robot's bionic hand, the palm simulation structure including a palm bow adjustment mechanism; The central drive control module is configured to coordinate and control the multiple bionic finger drive control devices so that the multiple bionic fingers as a whole perform a movement output that conforms to the movement characteristics of the human hand. The plurality of bionic finger drive control devices are applied to a robotic bionic finger, which includes a knuckle structure. The bionic finger drive control device includes: At least one flexible bionic muscle coordinator is arranged along the length of the knuckle structure, with one end serving as a fixed end connected to the finger adapter base of the knuckle structure, and the other end serving as a free end connected to the knuckle structure through a force transmission path. A drive unit, electrically connected to the flexible bionic muscle cooperator, is configured to apply a drive electric field to the flexible bionic muscle cooperator. The flexible bionic muscle coordinator includes: Multiple strip-shaped components, the strip-shaped components being made of an electrically actuated material capable of active deformation under electric field excitation, and having anisotropic deformation behavior under electric field excitation at least; The multiple strip-shaped components are divided into multiple component groups, each component group including at least one strip-shaped component, and the multiple component groups include at least a first component group and a second component group, wherein the axial stiffness of the first component group is higher than that of the second component group. The first component group and the second component group are coupled through a preset force transmission structure. In response to the driving electric field applied by the driving unit, the first driving force generated by the first component group, including the first deformation, and the second driving force generated by the second component group, including the second deformation, cooperate with each other in space to generate motion output. The flexible bionic muscle coordinator in the bionic finger drive control device is configured to transmit the motion output to the knuckle structure through its free end, driving the knuckle structure to produce smooth motion that conforms to the movement characteristics of human fingers. The palm drive control device includes at least one of the flexible bionic muscle cooperators. The flexible bionic muscle cooperator in the palm drive control device is arranged along the bowstring direction, with its fixed end connected to one side of the palm and its free end connected to the movable end of the palm bow-shaped adjustment mechanism. It is used to adjust the curvature of the palm bow-shaped adjustment mechanism to cooperate with the multiple bionic finger drive control devices to complete the grasping of objects of different shapes.

2. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The difference in axial stiffness between the first component group and the second component group is achieved through at least one of the following methods: The ratio of the elastic modulus of the first component group to that of the second component group is greater than 3:1 and less than 20:1; The cross-sectional geometric dimensions of the strip-shaped components in the first component group and the second component group are different; The product of the elastic modulus and the cross-sectional area of ​​the strip-shaped components in the first component group and the second component group are different; The lengths of the strip-shaped components in the first component group and the second component group are different.

3. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first component group and the second component group are respectively controlled by the driving unit through independent electrode circuits. The driving unit is configured to apply driving electric fields with different start times and / or different durations to the first component group and the second component group, so that the first deformation generated by the first component group and the second deformation generated by the second component group form a preset sequential or superimposed relationship in time, thereby controlling the flexible bionic muscle coordinator to achieve smooth establishment and decay of contractile force during axial contraction.

4. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The knuckle structure includes a flexible skeleton structure having at least one degree of bending freedom.

5. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The flexible bionic muscle coordinator is configured to mimic the flexor tendon of a human finger, and the axial stiffness difference between the first component group and the second component group inside is set to simulate the stiffness difference between different tendon bundles in the flexor tendon. Based on the stiffness difference, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator responds to the driving electric field and generates a wave-like contraction wave that is transmitted from the fixed end to the free end, so as to drive the phalanx structure through the free end to achieve a curling flexion action. The wave-like contraction wave is realized by the following steps: when the driving electric field is applied, the first component group responds first and generates an initial contraction near the fixed end, forming the wavefront of the contraction wave; subsequently, the second component group is gradually activated under the electric field excitation in the wavefront region, and its deformation is superimposed with the contraction of the first component group, so that the contraction wave is transmitted segment by segment from the fixed end to the free end along the axis of the bionic muscle coordinator, so that the pulling force output by the bionic muscle coordinator increases progressively, and when driving the phalanx to flex, it achieves sequential bending from the proximal phalanx to the distal phalanx, forming a wave-like contraction pattern from the muscle belly to the tendon.

6. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bionic finger drive control device includes multiple flexible bionic muscle cooperators, which are used to simulate the superficial flexor tendon and the deep flexor tendon of the fingers, respectively.

7. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first deformation includes contraction or elongation, and the second deformation includes bending; the first deformation and the second deformation work together to produce at least one of torsional, spiral, or oscillating motion.

8. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first component group and the second component group have a preset first spatial structural relationship, which includes at least one of the following: First attachment type: At least one strip-shaped member in the second component group is attached longitudinally to the surface of at least one strip-shaped member in the first component group; First covering type: At least one strip-shaped component in the second component group is wrapped around the outer periphery of at least one strip-shaped component in the first component group in a spiral or woven manner; First Embedding: At least one strip-shaped member in the second component group is embedded inside at least one strip-shaped member in the first component group to form a core-skin structure; First intermittent arrangement: The first component group and the second component group are arranged alternately at intervals on a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

9. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible bionic muscle coordinator integrates a sensing unit for real-time sensing of its deformation or output force; the bionic finger drive control device further includes a control unit, which receives feedback signals from the sensing unit and adjusts the electric field parameters applied by the drive unit according to the feedback signals to achieve closed-loop control of the finger bending angle and / or gripping force.

10. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive unit is configured as follows: When a driving electric field is applied only to the first component group or only to the second component group, the flexible biomimetic muscle coordinator exhibits a first axial stiffness. When a driving electric field is applied to both the first component group and the second component group simultaneously, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator exhibits a second axial stiffness, which is greater than the first axial stiffness.

11. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of component groups further includes a third component group, the elastic modulus of which is greater than that of the second component group and less than that of the first component group; the first component group, the third component group, and the second component group have a preset second spatial structural relationship, the second spatial structural relationship including at least one of the following: Second attachment type: The third component group is attached to the first component group, and the second component group is attached to the third component group; Second encapsulation type: The third component group encapsulates the first component group, and the second component group encapsulates the third component group; Second Embedding: The third component group is embedded inside the first component group, and the second component group is embedded inside the third component group; Second type: The first component group, the third component group and the second component group are arranged alternately at intervals on a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

12. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first component group and the second component group are arranged in antagonistic order in space, so that the first driving force generated by the first component group and the second driving force generated by the second component group are mutually antagonistic in the direction of action, and the motion output is generated together through the coupling of the preset force transmission structure.

13. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one flexible bionic muscle coordinator includes a first flexible bionic muscle coordinator and a second flexible bionic muscle coordinator. The first flexible bionic muscle coordinator and the second flexible bionic muscle coordinator are arranged in an antagonistic manner in space, so that the driving force generated by the first flexible bionic muscle coordinator and the driving force generated by the second flexible bionic muscle coordinator are mutually antagonistic in the direction of action. Through the coupling of the preset force transmission structure, they jointly drive the knuckle structure to generate motion output.

14. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving unit is configured to simultaneously apply a driving electric field to the first component group and the second component group, causing the first component group and the second component group to simultaneously undergo contraction deformation.

15. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central drive control module is configured to simulate the sequential grasping pattern of human hands grasping objects by controlling the timing of the electric fields applied to different bionic finger drive control devices, where the fingers sequentially contact and envelop the object.

16. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central drive control module is configured to control the corresponding bionic finger to flex before applying force or to position before applying force by controlling the timing of the electric field applied to different component groups within the same bionic finger drive control device.

17. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the flexible bionic muscle coordinators in the bionic finger drive control device, having a preset spatial arrangement relationship and / or stiffness difference between its first component group and second component group, is configured to generate a torsional torque about the finger axis in response to the driving electric field applied by the drive unit under the control of the central drive control module, so that the bionic finger rotates axially while performing a flexion action.

18. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The curvature of the palm-shaped adjustment mechanism includes the curvature of its horizontal, vertical, or oblique bow.

19. The bionic hand drive control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central drive control module is configured as follows: When the bionic hand is in a non-grasping state, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator in the multiple bionic finger drive control devices is controlled so that the drive unit applies a drive electric field only to the first component group or only to the second component group. When the bionic hand is in a grasping state, the flexible bionic muscle coordinator in the multiple bionic finger drive control devices is controlled so that the drive unit simultaneously applies a driving electric field to the first component group and the second component group, or increases the applied electric field strength, or changes the applied electric field frequency.

20. A bionic hand control method, characterized in that, The apparatus applied to any one of claims 1-19 comprises the following steps: In response to a motion command, the drive unit is activated and applies a drive electric field with preset parameters to the flexible bionic muscle coordinator. In response to the driving electric field, the first component group and the second component group in the flexible bionic muscle coordinator generate a first deformation and a second deformation respectively under the excitation of the electric field. The two components cooperate with each other in space through a preset force transmission structure to jointly generate motion output, so as to drive the knuckle structure of the bionic finger to produce a smooth movement that conforms to the flexion movement characteristics of human fingers.

21. A robot, characterized in that, It integrates a bionic hand drive control device as described in any one of claims 1-19.

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