Modelling and control design of a novel robotic membrane

The aim of this work is the modelling and control design of an electromechanical system (named robotic membrane) able to change its stiffness reproducing the deformation of different kinds of membranes. Both analytical and numerical models of the proposed system have been developed, also using a multibody software (Matlab/Simulink SimMechanics), while the control design and tuning has been performed using Matlab/Simulink. The final aim of this work is to simulate the robotic membrane deformation in different load conditions, in order to compare the results with the behaviour of hyperelastic membranes characterised in literature. The study demonstrates the feasibility and the potentialities of the proposed robotic membrane system, which has been capable of reproducing the static and dynamic behaviours of two types of membranes.