An elastica robot: Tip-control in tendon-actuated elastic arms

Handral, P and Rangarajan, R (2020) An elastica robot: Tip-control in tendon-actuated elastic arms. In: Extreme Mechanics Letters, 34 .

PDF ext_mec_let_34_2020.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Various applications ranging from pipeline inspection to robot-assisted surgery require highly maneuverable devices with precisely controllable tips. In this article, we propose and experimentally validate a mechanics-based approach to manipulate the quasistatic planar motion of the tip of a flexible arm by controlling the tensions in a pair of cables attached to its centerline. We show that by adopting a geometrically nonlinear elastica model for the arm, by carefully accounting for configuration-dependent tendon loadings, and by interpreting the problem of manipulating the tip of the arm as one of load optimization, it is possible to realize a high degree of accuracy. In the process, we also identify interesting features of the tendon-loaded elastica problem. Our tip-control strategy is based solely on a predictive elastica model, does not require any sensors and does not employ any feedback. The resulting elastica robot is slender, remotely actuated, energy-efficient and miniaturizable. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Extreme Mechanics Letters
Publisher:	Elsevier Ltd
Additional Information:	The copyright for this article belongs to Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords:	Cables; End effectors; Energy efficiency; Manipulators; Robot applications; Robotic arms; Robotics, Cable robot; Compliant manipulators; Flexible robotics; Open loop control; Soft robotics, Tendons
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Mechanical Engineering
Date Deposited:	08 Feb 2023 09:24
Last Modified:	08 Feb 2023 09:24
URI:	https://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/80074

Actions (login required)

View Item