Journal of Bionic Engineering (2025) 22:195–213 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-024-00626-z

Design, Modeling, and Validation of a Tendon-driven Series Elastic Actuator Based on Magnetic Position Sensing

Di Zhao1  · Xinbo Wang1  · Fanbo Wei1  · Lei Ren1,2 · Kunyang Wang1  · Luquan Ren1,2

1 Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education), Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China 

2 Institute of Structured and Architected Materials, Liaoning Academy of Materials, Shenyang 110167, China

Abstract 

Tendon-driven robots have distinct advantages in high-dynamic performance motion and high-degree-of-freedom manipulation. However, these robots face challenges related to control complexity, intricate tendon drive paths, and tendon slackness. In this study, the authors present a novel modular tendon-driven actuator design that integrates a series elastic element. The actuator incorporates a unique magnetic position sensing technology that enables observation of the length and tension of the tendon and features an exceptionally compact design. The modular architecture of the tendon-driven actuator addresses the complexity of tendon drive paths, while the tension observation functionality mitigates slackness issues. The design and modeling of the actuator are described in this paper, and a series of tests are conducted to validate the simulation model and to test the performance of the proposed actuator. The model can be used for training robot control neural networks based on simulation, thereby overcoming the challenges associated with controlling tendon-driven robots. 

Keywords Tendon-driven robots · Tendon-driven actuator · Magnetic position sensing · Tension control · Series elastic actuator