A novel class of intelligent power-assist systems based on differential CVT

This paper presents a novel power assist manipulation system for human- robot cooperation. The new system utilizes a reliable continuous variable transmission (CVT) based on the differential gear. The new system is significantly cheaper, simpler to control and more efficient than cobots with spherical CVTs. Both path-guidance and power-assist functions can be simply realized with the new system. Basic structures, kinematic and dynamic models, as well as control algorithms, which are essential for design, control synthesis and control of the system, are briefly presented.