Robot's knee-like joint developed with new method reduces misalignment

Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a new mathematical framework to design knee-like rolling contact joints for robots, significantly reducing joint misalignment by 99% compared to standard devices. This innovative approach optimizes the shape of each joint component on a computer to closely follow complex, noncircular motion paths, such as those of a human knee, which not only hinges but also shifts, rolls, and slides. By tailoring joint mechanics to specific force outputs and applications, the method enables more efficient robotic movement and smaller actuators, enhancing the performance of robotic grippers, assistive devices, and human-like robots. The team demonstrated the effectiveness of their design by building prototypes including a knee-like joint and a two-finger robotic gripper. Their optimized rolling contact joint closely mimics real knee motion, offering promising improvements for knee-assist devices, exoskeletons, and potentially personalized joint replacements. Senior author Robert J. Wood emphasized that this approach offloads much