Track 1: AUTOMATIC CONTROL

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MODELING AND IDENTIFICATION

OF THE PNEUMATIC ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE (PAM) MANIPULATOR
BASED ON RECURRENT NEURAL NETWORKS
Kyoung Kwan AHN1 Ho Pham Huy ANH2 Nguyen The KIET3
1,2
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, Korea
3
Electrical and Electronic Faculty, HCM City University of Technology, HCMCity, Viet Nam

Abstract

The paper deals with the PAM manipulator modeling and identification based on recurrent neural
networks. The first time, the most powerful types of neural network-based nonlinear autoregressive
models, namely, NNARMAX, NNOE and NNARX models will be applied comparatively of the PAM
manipulator identification. Furthermore, the evaluation of different nonlinear Neural Network Auto-
Regressive models of PAM manipulator with various hidden layer nodes is completely discussed. On
this basis the merit and demerit features of each identified model of the highly nonlinear PAM
manipulator have been analyzed and compared. The results show that the nonlinear NNARX model
yields more performance and higher accuracy than the other nonlinear NNARMAX and NNOE model
schemes. These results can be applied to model and identify not only of the PAM manipulator but also
of other nonlinear and time-varied parametric industrial systems.

Keywords: pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM), PAM manipulator, recurrent neural networks,
nonlinear NNARMAX model, nonlinear NNARX model, nonlinear NNOE model, modeling and
identification.

1. INTRODUCTION. PAM manipulator show that the newly proposed

PAM actuators have been used in various
precision robotic tasks as well as in human
exoskeletons for enhancement of strength and
mobility [1]. Due to their highly nonlinear and
time-varying parameter nature, PAM
manipulator modeling always presents a
challenging problem that has been approached
via many methodologies. Recently, in [2], Ahn
et al. applied Modified GA for optimizing
parameters of pseudo-linear ARX model of the
PAM manipulator. In [3], authors identified
successfully PAM manipulator based on
nonlinear neural NNARX model.
In this paper, auto-regressive recurrent
neural networks are applied to model and
identify the PAM manipulator system. The 1-
link PAM manipulator test system was designed.
The contribution focuses on carrying
experimental modeling and analyzing from
gathered results the advantages of PAM
manipulator identification using neural networks
with different auto-regressive structures and
different hidden layer nodes as well. Modeling
results of the complex dynamic systems such as
nonlinear model presented in this study can be
applied in online control with better dynamic
property, strong robustness and suitable for the
identification of various plants, including linear
and nonlinear process without regard greatly
changing external environments.
This paper is organized as follows: Section
2 gives a description of basis characteristics of
pneumatic artificial muscle. In section 3, the
procedure of modeling and identification of the
PAM manipulator based on auto-regressive
recurrent neural network is presented. Section 4
shows the hardware set-up for 1-link PAM
manipulator identification. Section 5 presents
the results of modeling and identification of the
1-link PAM manipulator based on recurrent
neural network. Section 6 is the conclusion.
2. BASIS CHARACTERISTICS OF
PNEUMATIC ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE.
The basic mechanics characteristic of PAM
can be depicted with the equation below:
F = P[a (1 − h) 2 − b] (2.1)

International Symposium on Electrical & Electronics Engineering 2007 - Oct 24, 25 2007 - HCM City, Vietnam
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where F is the contraction force, P is the internal
pressure (bar), h is contraction rate. a and b are
constants related to the structure of artificial
muscle PAM. This highly nonlinear feature is
shown in Fig.1 extracted from [4] representing
the relationship the contraction rate h and the
exerting force F of a pneumatic artificial muscle
(PAM).
Fig. 1: h -F relationships of artificial
muscle (extracted from [4])
Equation (1) indicates that F, P and h are
three critical variables to determine the
characteristics of artificial muscle PAM. When
P is constant, F is nonlinear with h. Meanwhile,
due to the friction and wire resistance between
rubber tubes and mesh shell, artificial muscle
has an obvious characteristic of lag. Fig.1
illustrates the ε-F relationships of artificial
muscle. In this figure, the curves tell us that
artificial muscle is substantially a time-varying
and nonlinear system. In order to overcome the
disadvantage of nonlinear and lag characteristics
of artificial muscle, this paper tries to apply
typical recurrent neural networks models for
identifying the PAM system.
3. NONLINEAR AUTO-REGRESSIVE
NEURAL NETWORKS-BASED PAM
MANIPULATOR IDENTIFICATION
A. Description of Nonlinear Autoregressive
Model
The nomenclature of nonlinear dynamical model
is based on the terminology used to categorize
linear input-output models, in the following the
linear empirical model structures that can be
summarized by the general family [5].
B(q ) C (q )
A(q ) y (k ) = u (k ) + e(k ) (3.1)
F (q ) D(q )
where, q denotes the shift operator. For instance,
A(q) is a polynomial in q-1. This model can be
given in a “pseudo-linear” regression form
International Symposium on Electrical & Electronics Engineering 2007 - Oct 24, 25 2007 - HCM City, Vietnam
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Track 1: AUTOMATIC CONTROL
yˆ = QT X (k ) (3.2)
where the regressors, i.e the components of X(k)
can be given by:
• u(k-i), i=1,…nb, control signals (associated
with the B polynomial)
• y(k-i), i=1,…na, measured process outputs
(associated with the A polynomial)
• yˆ (k − i ), simulated outputs from past u(k)
(associated with the F polynomial)
• e(k − i ) = y (k − i ) − yˆ (k − i ), prediction errors
(associated with the C polynomial)
( )
• eu (k − i ) = y (k − i ) − yu kˆ − i , simulation
errors (associated with the D polynomial)
Based on these regressors, different types of
model structures can be constructed. Some
special cases of (3.1) as the Box-Jenkins (BJ)
model (A=1), the ARMAX model (F=D=1), the
output-error (OE) model (A=C=D=1) and the
ARX model (F=C=D=1). Following this
nomenclature of linear models, it is natural to
construct similar nonlinear neural model as:
NNARX, Nonlinear Auto-Regressive with
eXogenous input models, which used regressor:
X (k ) = [ y (k − 1),..., y(k − na ), u (k − 1),..., u (k − nb )]
NNOE, Nonlinear Output Error Models, which
used regressor as
X (k ) = [ yˆ (k − 1),..., yˆ (k − na ), u (k − 1),..., u (k − nb )]
NNARMAX, Nonlinear Auto-Regressive Moving
Average with eXogenous input models, where
X(k) =[y(k −1),...,y(k −na),u(k −1),...,u(k −nb),εu(k −1),...,εu(k −ne)]
On the soft computing and system identification
of nonlinear system, the NARX model is called
a series parallel model, while the NOE is
referred to as a parallel model. The NARMAX
and NOE models are recurrent models, because
they use the estimated output that constitutes a
feedback. This makes the identification of these
models difficult. Because the NARX model
structure is non-recursive, its parameters are
easy to be estimated. To present a dynamic
system, after making some moderate
assumptions, it has been proved that any
nonlinear, discrete, time-invariant system can
always be represented by a NARX model [6].
 Track 1: AUTOMATIC CONTROL

B Description of MLPNN Table 1 presents the configuration of the

hardware set-up installed from Fig.5 as to model
The Multilayer-Perceptron (or MLP) and identify the auto-regressive neural networks
network is probably the most-often considered model of the PAM manipulator.
member of the neural network family. The main
reason for this is its ability to model simple as Table 1. The lists of experimental hardware
well as very complex functional relationships. No. Name Model name Company
1 Proportional valve MPYE-5-1/8HF-710 B FESTO
This has been proven through a large number of 2 Pneumatic artificial muscle MAS-10-N-220-AA-MCFK FESTO
practical applications. A fully connected two
3 D/A board PCI 1720 ADVANTECH
layer feed-forward MLP-network with 3 inputs, 4 Counter board PCI QUAD-4 COMPUTING
MEASUREMENT
2 hidden units (also called “nodes” or 5 Rotary encoder H40-8-3600ZO METRONIX
“neurons”), and 2 outputs is shown in Fig. 2.
z3
The hardware includes a PC (Pentium 1.7
w23
w13 f2(,)
GHz) which sends the PRBS voltage signal u(t)
z2 w22 w22 y2 to control the proportional valve (FESTO,
F2(,)
w12 w12
w21 w21
MPYE-5-1/8HF-710B), through a D/A board
z1 w11 f1(,) (ADVANTECH, PCI 1720 card). The rotating
w11 F1(,) y1 torque is generated by the pneumatic pressure
w20 w20
w10 difference supplied from air-compressor
w10
1 1 between the antagonistic PAM. Consequently,
Fig. 2: Structure of feed-forward MLP-network
the joint of the PAM manipulator will be
rotated. Joint angle, θ [deg], is detected by a
The class of MLP-networks considered in
this paper is furthermore confined to those rotary encoder (METRONIX, H40-8-3600ZO)
having only one hidden layer and only and fed back to the computer through an 32-bit
hyperbolic tangent and linear activation counter board (COMPUTING
functions (f,F): MEASUREMENT, PCI QUAD-4 card) which
changes digital pulse signals to joint angle value
q  q 
y(t). The pneumatic line is conducted under the
m  (3.3)
yˆi (w,W) = Fi ∑Wijhj (w) +Wi0  = Fi ∑Wij. f j ∑wjl zl + wj0  +Wi0  pressure of 4[bar] and the software is coded in C
 j =1   j =1  l =1  
program language. A block diagram of the
The weights (specified by the vector θ, or experimental apparatus is shown in Fig.5.
alternatively by the matrices w and W) are the
adjustable parameters of the network, and they
are determined from a set of examples through
the process called training. The examples, or the
training data as they are usually called, are a set
of inputs, u(t), and corresponding desired
outputs, y(t).

4. HARDWARE SET-UP OF MODELING

AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE PAM
MANIPULATOR

An experiment system is illustrated in Fig.4. Fig.5 Experiment system for the PAM manipulator

It needs to obtain the experimental data

which describe the underlying intrinsic features
of the 1-axes PAM manipulator. Fig.6a, 6b, and
6c represent experimental diagram for modeling
and identifying neural network NNARX model,
NNARMAX model and NNOE model of the
Figure 4: Diagram for obtaining PRBS training
PAM manipulator.
data of the PAM manipulator

International Symposium on Electrical & Electronics Engineering 2007 - Oct 24, 25 2007 - HCM City, Vietnam
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 Track 1: AUTOMATIC CONTROL

5. RESULTS OF PAM MANIPULATOR

MODELING AND IDENTIFICATION
BASED ON AUTO-REGRESSIVE
NEURAL NETWORKS MODELS

In comparison the performance of three

typical recurrent Neural Network Models:
Fig. 6a: Modeling and identifying neural NNARX, NNARMAX and NNOE, two
NNARX model of the PAM manipulator following tests would be realized:

1) Identification the PAM manipulator based

on recurrent Neural Network Model with the
same recursive configuration (na=2, nb=2)
for 3 studied NN Models (NNARX,
NNARMAX and NNOE).
• The hidden layer of all three NN models
composes 5 nodes.
• The training algorithm uses Levenberg-
Fig. 6b: Modeling and identifying neural Marquardt method.
NNARMAX model of the PAM manipulator • The number of iterations in training process
is 100.
• The Tangent Hyperbolic function for hidden
nodes and linear function for output nodes.
The results concern the structure of each NN
Model, the convergence of Fitness values and
the performance in comparison the real PAM
manipulator output and predictive NN model
output are showed in followed Fig.8-9-10:

Fig. 6c: Modeling and identifying neural NNOE a) NNARMAX Model:

model of the PAM manipulator e(t-2)

e(t-1)

u(t-2)
yhat(t)
u(t-1)

Fig.7 presents the PRBS input applied to the y(t-2)

y(t-1)

tested 2-axes PAM manipulator and the FITNESS CONVERGENCE OF NONLINEAR NNARMAX MODEL OF THE 2nd LINK 2-AXES PAM MANIPULATOR
(NNARMAX[2,2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 5)

responding joint angle output collected from it. 10

2

This experimental PRBS input-output data is 10

1

used for training and estimating the resulting

Criterion of fitness

0
10

ARX model. PRBS input and Joint Angle output

from (0–20)[s] will be used for training while 10
-1

PRBS input and Joint Angle output from (20– 10

-2

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

40)[s] will be used for validation purpose. Iteration

2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and nonlinear NNARMAX Model Output
(NNARMAX [2,2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 5)
30
PAM manipulator response
NNARMAX model [2,2,2] response
IDENTIFICATION & MODELING NNARX MODEL of THE PROTOTY PE PA M MANIPULATOR
20
BSinput -[v]

5.5

5
Output response- [degree]
PR

4.5 10
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
30

0
20

10 -10
Joint Angle [deg]

0
-20

-10

-30
-20
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
time (samples)

-30 Error of 2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and predictive NNARMAX Model Output - (y-yhat)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 10
Time [s]
Error - [degree]

Fig. 7: Training data obtained from the -5

-10
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000

prototype PAM manipulator. time (samples)

Fig. 8: PAM manipulator NNARMAX Model

International Symposium on Electrical & Electronics Engineering 2007 - Oct 24, 25 2007 - HCM City, Vietnam
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 Track 1: AUTOMATIC CONTROL

b) NNOE Model: 2) Modeling and Identification the PAM

manipulator based on recurrent Neural
u(t-2)

u(t-1)
Network Model with the same typical
yhat(t-2)
yhat(t)
configuration (na=2, nb=2) for 3 typical NN
yhat(t-1)
Models (NNARX, NNARMAX and
1
FITNESS CONVERGENCE OF NONLINEAR NNOE MODEL OF THE 2nd Link 2-AXES PAM MANIPULATOR
(NNOE[2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 5) NNOE). It keeps all testing features like the
1st TEST except the hidden layer of all three
10

10
0
NN models composes 10 nodes.
The results concern the structure of each NN
Criterion of fitness

10
-1

Model, the convergence of Fitness values and

-2
the performance in comparison the real PAM
10

manipulator output and predictive NN Model

10
-3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
output are showed in following Fig.11-12-13:
Iteration

2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and nonlinear NNOE Model Output
(NNOE [2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 5)
30
PAM manipulator response
a) NNARMAX Model:
NNOE model [2,2] response
20
e(t-2)
Output response - [degree]

10 e(t-1)

u(t-2)
yhat(t)
0 u(t-1)

y(t-2)
-10
y(t-1)

-20
FITNESS CONVERGENCE OF NONLINEAR NNARMAX MODEL OF THE 2nd LINK 2-AXES PAM MANIPULATOR
3
(NNARMAX[2,2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 10)
10
-30
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
time (samples) 2
10
Error of 2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and predictive NNOE Model Output - (y-yhat)

1
2
Error - [degree]

Criterion of fitness 10

0
0
10
-2
-1
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 10
time (samples)
-2
10

Fig. 9: PAM manipulator NNOE Model result 10

-3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Iteration

2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and nonlinear NNARMAX Model Output
(NNARMAX [2,2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 10)

c) NNARX Model: 30

PAM manipulator respons e

NNARMAX model [2,2,2] response

20

u(t-2)
10
utput response- [degree]

u(t-1)
yhat(t)
y(t-2)
0

y(t-1)
O

-10

FITNESS CONVERGENCE OF NONLINEAR NNARX MODEL OF THE 2nd LINK 2-AXES PAM MANIPULATOR
(NNARX[2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 5)
3
10 -20

2
10 -30
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Error of 2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and predictive NNARMAX Model Output - (y-yhat)
2
Error - [degree]

1 1
10
Criterion of fitness

-1

0 -2
10 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
time - [s ec ]

-1
10
Fig. 11 PAM manipulator NNARMAX Model results
-2
10

-3
10
b) NNOE Model:
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Iteration

u(t-2)

u(t-1)
yhat(t)
2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and nonlinear NNARX Model Output
(NNARX [2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 5) yhat(t-2)
30
PAM manipulator res ponse
yhat(t-1)
NNARX model [2,2] respons e

20

2nd Link PAM manipulat or Output and nonlinear NNOE Model Output
(NNOE [2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 10)
10 30
utput response-[degree]

PAM manipulator response

NNOE model [2,2] response
20
0
ree
]

10
eg
se-[d
O

-10
on

0
tp sp
ut re

-20
Ou

-10

-20
-30
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
time (samples)
Error of 2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and predictive NNARX Model Output - (y-y hat) -30
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
0.2
Error- [degree]

0.1 Error of 2nd Link PAM manipulat or Output and predict ive NNOE Model Output - (y -yhat)
2
gree
]

0 1
rror-[de

-0.1 0
E

-1
-0.2
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
time (samples) time - [s ec]

Fig. 10: PAM manipulator NNARX Model results Fig. 12: PAM manipulator NNOE Model results

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 Track 1: AUTOMATIC CONTROL

c) NNARX Model: 6. CONCLUSIONS

u(t-2) In the paper, the model-based identification

u(t-1) is discussed with respect to neural networks as
yhat(t)

y(t-2) universal approximator yielding the possibility

y(t-1) of modeling nonlinear autoregressive models
with the exogenous variable. Neural networks
FITNESS CONVERGENCE OF NONLINEAR NNARX MODEL OF THE 2nd LINK 2-AXES PAM MANIPULATOR

10
3
(NNARX[2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 10) utilized in modeling and identification of PAM
10
2
manipulator in this paper, have overcome
10
1
successfully the nonlinear characteristic of the
Criterion of fitness

0
prototype PAM manipulator system and
10

-1
resulting recurrent neural networks models
10
would surely enhance the control performance
-2
10
of PAM manipulator, due to the extraordinary
10
-3

0 10 20 30 40 50
Iteration
60 70 80 90 100 capacity in learning nonlinear characteristic.
2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and nonlinear NNARX Model Output
(NNARX [2,2] ; Number of hidden nodes = 10)
These results can be applied to model and
30
PAM manipulator response
NNARX model [2,2] response
identify not only of the PAM manipulator but
20
also of other nonlinear and time-varied
parametric industrial systems.
Output response - [degree]

10

-10
Acknowledgment
This research was supported by the BK21
-20

(Republic of Korea)
-30
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
time (samples)

0.2
Error of 2nd Link PAM manipulator Output and predictive NNARX Model Output - (y-yhat)
REFERENCES
Error - [degree]

0.1

-0.1

-0.2 1. C. P. Chou and B. Hannaford, “Measurement

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
time (samples)
and Modeling of Mc-Kibben pneumatic
Fig. 13 PAM manipulator NNARX Model results
artificial muscle,” IEEE Trans. on Robotics
and Automation, (1996), 12(1), pp. 90~102.
From previous resulted figures, important 2. K. K. Ahn, and H.P.H. Anh, “System
remarks can be derived. First, nonlinear modeling and identification of the two-link
NNARX model always yields more performance pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM)
and higher accuracy than the other nonlinear
manipulator optimized with genetic
NNARMAX and NNOE model schemes. algorithm”, in Proceedings 2006 IEEE-
Second, increasing hidden layer nodes from 5 to ICASE Int. Conf., Busan, Korea, (2006), pp.
10 will improve the performance of neural 4744-4749.
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model with hidden layer 5 nodes proved better.
of modeling and identification of the
Third, all 3 auto-regressive neural networks pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM)
models, namely, NNARX-NNARMAX and manipulator based on neural network”, in
NNOE demonstrate their superb performance in IMECHE Journal, (2007), (Accepted).
comparison with conventional MLPNN model 4. FESTO Pneumatic Artificial Muscle (PAM)
and linear ARX model as well. Consequently, Manual, 2004-2005.
the newly proposed auto-regressive neural 5. J. Sjoberg, Q. Zhang, and L. Ljung,
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