Adaptive velocity-based six degree of freedom load control for real-time unconstrained biomechanical testing

Robotic biomechanics is a powerful tool for further developing our understanding of biological joints, tissues and their repair. Both velocity-based and hybrid force control methods have been applied to biomechanics but the complex and non-linear properties of joints have limited these to slow or stepwise loading, which may not capture the real-time behaviour of joints. This paper presents a novel force control scheme combining stiffness and velocity based methods aimed at achieving six degree of freedom unconstrained force control at physiological loading rates.