Advanced mechanical learning system

Abstract

The subject of this invention is a novel mechanical learning system. The system proposed in this invention provides a method to speed up and control the learning process of an arbitrary mechanical movement with arbitrary mechanical loading and specified complexity and accuracy.

1 . A learning system comprising a central controller and a multitude of modules either mechanically connected to the user or having mechanical contact with the user and controlling individual degrees of freedom. 
   
   
       2 . A module of the learning system controlling a single degree of freedom comprising:
 a. the mechanical system with a position sensor aimed for monitoring the movement along this degree of freedom and an actuator for producing a correcting force or a torque along this degree of freedom and mechanical load along this degree of freedom;   b. the processing unit with predefined information about the target trajectory, acquiring information on position from the position sensor and controlling the actuator through the power electronic unit.   
   
   
       3 . The module of the learning system as described in  claim 2  with a processing unit comprising a control program for generating either monotonous or pulsating correction force or torque or a combination of both in function of the deviation from the target trajectory with a possibility for modifying the frequency and the offset of the pulsating force or torque in function of the deviation from the target trajectory. 
   
   
       4 . The module of the learning system as described in  claim 3  with a processing unit comprising a control program with predefined information on the acceptable deviation from the target trajectory for each point of the target trajectory. 
   
   
       5 . The module of the learning system as described in  claim 3  with a processing unit comprising a control program with predefined information on the safety limits for each point of the target trajectory. The program comprises any combination of the following items:
 a. Upon reaching these limits the module generates the maximal correction force;   b. The mechanical load generated by the module is reduced to zero.   
   
   
       6 . The module of the learning system as described in  claim 3  with a processing unit comprising a control program permitting resealing in time of either a portion of the target trajectory or the whole target trajectory and allowing according resealing in time of the mechanical load. 
   
   
       7 . The module of the learning system as described in  claim 3  with a processing unit comprising a control program allowing for recording the user's motion with a further use of this motion as a target trajectory during training. 
   
   
       8 . The group of modules of the learning system as defined in  claim 2  sharing the same mechanical system. 
   
   
       9 . A central controller of the learning system comprising:
 a. at least a control program used for synchronization of the operation of individual modules;   b. at least a control program used for producing a monotonous or pulsating correcting action by a group of modules if the user deviates from the target trajectory beyond the acceptable tolerance;   c. at least a control program used for producing a monotonous correcting action by a certain group of modules or all the modules in case if the user is reaching the boundary of the safety range;   d. at least a control program used for producing the maximal monotonous correcting action by a certain group of modules or all the modules in case if the user is reaching the boundary of the safety range;   e. at least a control program used for reducing the mechanical load to zero if the user is reaching the boundary of the safety range;   f. at least a control program used for modifying the acceptable deviation from the target trajectory;   g. at least a control program used for modifying the relation between the correcting actions of the group of modules of the learning system;   h. at least a control program used for recording the movement of the group of modules of the learning system with a further use of this movement as a target trajectory during training;   i. at least a control program used for rescaling in time of the part of the target movement or the whole movement of the learning system with according rescaling of the mechanical load;   j. at least a control program used for registering an external load or external weights used by the user in order to switch to the pulsating correcting mode when necessary and take into account the additional inertia;   k. at least a control program used for external input of a target trajectory and variation of the mechanical load for each module of the learning system;   l. at least a control program used for recording the user's performance and providing an output of the user data.