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Industrial robots have made it possible for robotics to become a worldwide discipline both in economy and in science. However, their capabilities are limited, especially regarding contact tasks where it is required to regulate or at least limit contact forces. At one point, it was noticed that elasticity in the joint transmission, which was treated as a drawback previously, is actually helpful in this regard. This observation led to the introduction of elastic joint robots that are well-suited to contact tasks and cooperative behavior in particular, so they become more and more widespread nowadays. Many researchers try to implement such devices not with trivial series elastic actuators (SEA) but with more sophisticated variable stiffness actuators (VSA) that can regulate their own mechanical stiffness. All elastic actuators demonstrate shock robustness and safe interaction with external objects to some extent, but when stiffness may be varied, it provides additional benefits, e. g., in terms of energy efficiency and task adaptability. Here, we present a novel variable stiffness actuator with a magnetic coupler as an elastic element. Magnetic transmission is contactless and thus advantageous in terms of robustness to misalignment. In addition, the friction model of the transmission becomes less complex. It also has milder stiffness characteristic than typical mechanical nonlinear springs, moreover, the stiffness curve has a maximum after which it descends. Therefore, when this maximum torque is achieved, the coupler slips, and a new pair of poles defines the equilibrium position. As a result, the risk of damage is smaller for this design solution. The design of the joint is thoroughly described, along with its mathematical model. Finally, the control system is also proposed, and simulation tests confirm the design ideas.

Many properties of ordinary differential equations systems solutions are determined by the properties of the equations in variations. An ODE system, which includes both the original nonlinear system and the equations in variations, will be called an extended system further. When studying the properties of the Cauchy problem for the systems of ordinary differential equations, the transition to extended systems allows one to study many subtle properties of solutions. For example, the transition to the extended system allows one to increase the order of approximation for numerical methods, gives the approaches to constructing a sensitivity function without using numerical differentiation procedures, allows to use methods of increased convergence order for the inverse problem solution. Authors used the Broyden method belonging to the class of quasi-Newtonian methods. The Rosenbroke method with complex coefficients was used to solve the stiff systems of the ordinary differential equations. In our case, it is equivalent to the second order approximation method for the extended system.

As an example of the proposed approach, several related mathematical models of the blood coagulation process were considered. Based on the analysis of the numerical calculations results, the conclusion was drawn that it is necessary to include a description of the factor XI positive feedback loop in the model equations system. Estimates of some reaction constants based on the numerical inverse problem solution were given.

Effect of factor V release on platelet activation was considered. The modification of the mathematical model allowed to achieve quantitative correspondence in the dynamics of the thrombin production with experimental data for an artificial system. Based on the sensitivity analysis, the hypothesis tested that there is no influence of the lipid membrane composition (the number of sites for various factors of the clotting system, except for thrombin sites) on the dynamics of the process.