Festo valve tech helps prepare future dentists and dental assistants in treating kids

The Pedia Roid simulation robot for training dentists and dental assistants treating young children is based on piezo valve technology from Festo.

Mississauga, ON, January 2021 – No one enjoys going to the dentist. To help future dentists and dental assistants anticipate the reactions of young children during treatments the Japanese robotics company Tmsuk developed a humanoid robot with Festo piezo valve technology that realistically simulates human behaviour, mimicking everything dental professionals might encounter, including fidgeting, squirming, flinching, even clenching of teeth. Preparing student practitioners on a simulation robot helps them manage such situations compassionately.

Tmsuk specializes in service robots, such as transport robots and personal care assistants for elderly people. These are equipped with electric axes. However, the dental simulation robot, named Pedia Roid, is pneumatically actuated, since the students and trainees sometimes have to hold the robotic dummy’s limbs during treatment simulations. This could damage the gear unit and spindles of electric drives. Pneumatics are more robust and flexible.

The Pedia Roid’s smooth, lifelike movements are produced using Festo proportional pressure regulators. Such realistic movement is only possible with piezo technology, and specifically the proportional pressure regulators VEAA and VEAB used in this project.

Smooth movements with piezo technology

The Pedia_Roid is 110 cm tall and weighs 23 kg, a typical representation of a five-year-old. Its smooth, lifelike movements are produced using Festo proportional pressure regulators with piezo technology. Such realistic movement is only possible with piezo technology, and specifically the proportional pressure regulators VEAA and VEAB used in this project. They control most of the robot’s 24 pneumatic cylinders that move arms, legs and fingers as well as the mouth, eyelids and irises. The proportional pressure regulators do not make any clicking sounds when they switch, since the bender actuator moves freely and without any impact noises.

“We would not have been able to realize this humanoid robot without Festo’s piezo technology,” says Yusuke Ishii, Director of Tmsuk. The proportional pressure regulators VEAA/VEAB are 3/3-way valves, each of which combines a pressure sensor and electronic controls. Proportional valves with piezo technology require virtually no energy to maintain an active state thanks to their capacitive capability. Each valve operates like a capacitor: it needs energy only to charge the piezo ceramics; no further energy is needed to maintain that state. As a result, the valves do not heat up and consume up to 95% less energy than solenoid valves, which require an uninterrupted electrical current to function.

Long service life, small footprint

The design of Festo’s VEAA/VEAB valves makes them resistant to wear for a high cycle lifespan. They are ideal for pressure regulation in cylinders for low to very low air consumption applications, and as well as applications requiring a high dynamic response, such as the Pedia_Roid robot. The compact design of these proportional valves combines space-saving installation with a low intrinsic weight.

Festo at a glance

Festo, the world’s leading supplier of automation technology and technical education, is deploying its products and services to meet the challenges of digitization and smart production. Founded in 1925, the family owned company based in Esslingen, Germany supports a wide range of needs for advanced solutions in factory and process automation. In Canada, Festo has been supporting Canadian industry for over 40 years, continuously elevating the state of manufacturing in this country with innovative products, optimized motion control solutions and unrivalled support. Globally, some 300,000 customers put their trust in the company’s pneumatic and electric drive products and technology. In addition, Festo Didactic provides state-of-the-art training equipment and educational programs for industrial companies and educational institutions. The Festo Group registered sales of around €3.07 billion in the 2019 financial year and is represented worldwide at 250 locations with 21,000 employees. About 8% of its annual turnover is invested in research and development.

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