Motion simulation system and method

Abstract

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for simulating motion. In one aspect, a motion simulation system includes a weight bearing actuator and a positioning actuator assembly. The weight bearing actuator includes a pneumatic cylinder defining a cavity and a piston rod disposed at least partially within the cavity of the pneumatic cylinder. The first end of the piston rod and the cavity of the pneumatic cylinder define a volume of the pneumatic cylinder. The volume of the pneumatic cylinder is configured to be pressurized to support a weight of a payload. The positioning actuator assembly includes a positioning actuator with a stator and a rotor, and a connecting rod. The connecting rod is coupled to the rotor. The rotor is configured to rotate to translate the connecting rod and position the payload supported by the weight bearing actuator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A motion simulation system, comprising:
 a weight bearing actuator comprising:
 a pneumatic cylinder defining a cavity; and 
 a piston rod disposed at least partially within the cavity of the pneumatic cylinder, wherein a first end of the piston rod and the cavity of the pneumatic cylinder define a volume of the pneumatic cylinder, and the volume of the pneumatic cylinder is configured to be pressurized to support a weight of a payload; and 
   a positioning actuator assembly comprising:
 a positioning actuator comprising:
 a stator; and 
 a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator; and 
 
 a connecting rod coupled to the rotor, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate to translate the connecting rod and position the payload supported by the weight bearing actuator. 
   
     
     
         2 . The motion simulation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second positioning actuator assembly, wherein the second positioning actuator assembly is configured to position the payload supported by the weight bearing actuator in cooperation with the positioning actuator assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The motion simulation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of additional weight bearing actuators and a plurality of additional positioning actuator assemblies, wherein the plurality of additional weight bearing actuators are configured to be pressurized to support the weight of the payload in cooperation with the weight bearing actuator, and the plurality of additional positioning actuator assemblies are configured to position the payload supported by the weight bearing actuator and the plurality of weight bearing actuators in cooperation with the positioning actuator assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The motion simulation system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of additional weight bearing actuators comprises two additional weight bearing actuators and the plurality of additional positioning actuator assemblies comprises five additional positioning actuator assemblies. 
     
     
         5 . The motion simulation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a platform, wherein the platform is coupled to a second end of the piston rod and the connecting rod, and the platform is configured to support the payload. 
     
     
         6 . The motion simulation system of  claim 1 , wherein the weight bearing actuator comprises a buffer tank defining a dead volume in fluid communication with the volume of the pneumatic cylinder. 
     
     
         7 . The motion simulation system of  claim 6 , wherein a range of motion of the first end of the piston rod relative to the cavity of the pneumatic cylinder defines a swept volume, and the dead volume is between approximately 100% to approximately 500% of the swept volume. 
     
     
         8 . The motion simulation system of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of pneumatic cylinder is pressurized by oscillating the first end of the piston rod relative to the pneumatic cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . The motion simulation system of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning actuator assembly comprises a crank pivotably coupled to the rotor and the connecting rod. 
     
     
         10 . The motion simulation system of  claim 9 , wherein the crank is integrally formed with the rotor. 
     
     
         11 . The motion simulation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a linear actuator housing, wherein the weight bearing actuator and the positioning actuator assembly are at least partially disposed within the linear actuator housing. 
     
     
         12 . The motion simulation system of  claim 11 , wherein an end of the connecting rod is pivotably coupled to the piston rod between the first end and a second end of the piston rod. 
     
     
         13 . The motion simulation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to control operation of the weight bearing actuator and the positioning actuator. 
     
     
         14 . The motion simulation system of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to pressurize the volume of the pneumatic cylinder to a pressure to minimize a current draw of the positioning actuator. 
     
     
         15 . The motion simulation system of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the positioning actuator at a frequency of up to approximately 1000 Hz. 
     
     
         16 . The motion simulation system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical storage device configured to receive energy generated by the positioning actuator. 
     
     
         17 . A motion simulation system, comprising:
 a base;   a platform movable relative to the base and configured to support a payload;   a plurality of weight bearing actuators, wherein each weight bearing actuator comprises:
 a pneumatic cylinder pivotably coupled to the base, wherein the pneumatic cylinder defines a cavity; and 
 a piston rod defining a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is disposed at least partially within the cavity of the pneumatic cylinder to define a volume of the pneumatic cylinder, the second end is pivotably coupled to the platform, and the volume of pneumatic cylinder is configured to be pressurized to support the platform; and 
   a plurality of positioning actuator assemblies, wherein each positioning actuator assembly comprises:
 a positioning actuator coupled to the base, the positioning actuator comprising: 
 a stator; and 
 a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator; and 
 
 a connecting rod comprising a first end pivotably coupled to the rotor and a second end pivotably coupled to the platform, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate to translate the connecting rod and position the payload supported by the plurality of weight bearing actuators. 
   
     
     
         18 . The motion simulation system of  claim 17 , wherein a quantity of positioning actuator assemblies of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies is twice a quantity of weight bearing actuators of the plurality of weight bearing actuators. 
     
     
         19 . The motion simulation system of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of weight bearing actuators comprises three weight bearing actuators and the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies comprises six positioning actuator assemblies. 
     
     
         20 . The motion simulation system of  claim 18 , wherein the second end of the piston rod of a first weight bearing actuator of the plurality of weight bearing actuators is disposed adjacent to the second end of the connecting rod of a first positioning assembly and the second end of the connecting rod of a second positioning assembly of the plurality of positioning assemblies. 
     
     
         21 . The motion simulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the platform is movable in six degrees of freedom relative to the base. 
     
     
         22 . The motion simulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the platform comprises a plurality of legs, wherein the second end of the piston rod of each weight bearing actuator of the plurality of weight bearing actuators is coupled to a respective leg of the plurality of legs of the platform. 
     
     
         23 . The motion simulation system of  claim 22 , wherein each weight bearing actuator of the plurality of weight bearing actuator comprises a buffer tank defining a dead volume in fluid communication with the volume of the pneumatic cylinder. 
     
     
         24 . The motion simulation system of  claim 23 , wherein a range of motion of the first end of the piston rod relative to the cavity of the pneumatic cylinder defines a swept volume, and the dead volume is between approximately 100% to approximately 500% of the swept volume. 
     
     
         25 . The motion simulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the volume of pneumatic cylinder of each weight bearing actuator of the plurality of weight bearing actuators is pressurized by oscillating the first end of the piston rod relative to the pneumatic cylinder. 
     
     
         26 . The motion simulation system of  claim 17 , wherein each positioning actuator assembly of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies comprises a crank pivotably coupled to the rotor and the connecting rod. 
     
     
         27 . The motion simulation system of  claim 26 , wherein the crank is integrally formed with the rotor. 
     
     
         28 . The motion simulation system of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of linear actuator housings, wherein a respective weight bearing actuator of the plurality of weight bearing actuators and a respective positioning actuator assembly of the plurality of weight bearing actuators are at least partially disposed within a common linear actuator housing of the plurality of linear actuator housings. 
     
     
         29 . The motion simulation system of  claim 28 , wherein an end of the connecting rod of the respective positioning actuator assembly is pivotably coupled to the piston rod of the respective weight bearing actuator between the first end and a second end of the piston rod. 
     
     
         30 . The motion simulation system of  claim 17 , further comprising a controller configured to control operation of the plurality of weight bearing actuators and the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies. 
     
     
         31 . The motion simulation system of  claim 30 , wherein the controller is configured to pressurize the volume of each respective pneumatic cylinder of the plurality of weight bearing actuators to a pressure to minimize a current draw of each respective positioning actuator of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies. 
     
     
         32 . The motion simulation system of  claim 30 , wherein the controller is configured to control operation of each respective positioning actuator of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies at a frequency of up to approximately 1000 Hz. 
     
     
         33 . The motion simulation system of  claim 17 , further comprising an electrical storage device configured to receive energy generated by the positioning actuator. 
     
     
         34 . A method to operate a motion simulation system, the method comprising:
 pressurizing a plurality of weight bearing actuators to support a platform relative to a base; and   moving the platform by actuating a plurality of positioning actuators of a respective plurality of positioning actuator assemblies, wherein each positioning actuator assembly is pivotably coupled to the platform via a respective connecting rod of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 detecting a current draw of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies; and   pressurizing the plurality of weight bearing actuators to a desired pressure to minimize the current draw of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 supporting the platform via the plurality of positioning actuators prior to pressurizing the plurality of weight bearing actuators.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 oscillating the plurality of weight bearing actuators to pressurize each respective weight bearing actuator.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 successively moving the platform in response to a succession of pose vectors at a streaming frequency up to approximately 1000 Hz.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 determining a respective rotational position of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies; and   adjusting a gain factor for each respective positioning actuator assembly in response to comparing the respective rotational position of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies with a desired rotational position of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 generating electrical energy from motion of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies;   storing the electrical energy from the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies in an electrical storage device; and   deploying the electrical energy from the electrical storage device.   
     
     
         41 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that are configured to cause a processor of a device to at least:
 detect a current draw of each of a plurality of positioning actuator assemblies; and   pressurize a plurality of weight bearing actuators to a desired pressure to minimize the current draw of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies.   
     
     
         42 . The instructions of  claim 41 , further configured to cause a processor of a device to at least:
 successively actuate the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies in response to a succession of pose vectors at a streaming frequency up to approximately 1000 Hz.   
     
     
         43 . The instructions of  claim 41 , further configured to cause a processor of a device to at least:
 determine a respective rotational position of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies;   compare the respective rotational position of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies with a desired rotational position of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies; and   adjust a gain factor for each respective positioning actuator assembly in response to comparing the respective rotational position of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies with a desired rotational position of each of the plurality of positioning actuator assemblies.