Two-Degree-of-Freedom Actuator for Robotic Eyes

Environment recognition is an essential task for autonomous systems. The size and weight of conventional mechanisms for robotic eyes increases because it consists of multiple actuators and links. Then, we propose a novel two-degree-of-freedom (DOF) actuator for robotic eyes, employing the basic operating principle of moving coil actuators. Since the mover of the actuator consists of two moving coils, its structure and control system can be simple. In this paper, its magnetic structure and operating principle are presented. The configuration of the robotic eye is described. The torque characteristics of the proposed two-DOF actuator are clarified by a magnetic field analysis using a three-dimensional finite element method. The analysis results show that the proposed two-DOF actuator can be independently driven by two-phase. The maximum angular acceleration is almost the same as human performance.