A Hyper-redundant Elephant\u2019s Trunk Robot with an Open Structure: Design, Kinematics, Control and Prototype

Special Issue on Focused Areas and Future Trends of Bio-Inspired Robots “Analysis, Control, and Design for Bio-Inspired Robotics”

Continuum manipulators can exhibit behaviors similar to snakes, elephant's trunks, and octopus tentacles, which possess incredible dexterity and intrinsic compliance for safe interaction with unstructured environments. However, the lack of enough stiffness limits their scope and application. In this paper, we introduce four different structures of continuum manipulators, including a simple structure with three elastic actuated rods, a structure with a passive rigid kinematic chain, a structure with a hyperelastic notochord and a segmental structure inspired from the spine without articular structure. This paper presents an experimental comparison of four continuum manipulators and aims to explore approaches to enhance the stiffness of a continuum manipulator and maintain the simple constant curvature kinematics as far as possible simultaneously. Results of this paper contribute to guiding the design of a continuum manipulator for achieving desired stiffness properties.

Application of the quality function deployment method in the mechanical structure design of subsea power devices

This survey presents the state of the art of basic compliant control algorithms in a unified view of past and present literature. Compliant control is fundamental when dealing with unstructured environments, as in the case of human–robot interaction. This is because it implicitly controls the energy transfer to the environment, providing a safe interaction. In this review, we analyze solutions from traditional robotics, usually involving stiff joints, and recent literature to find common control concepts and differences. To this aim, we bring back every schemas and relative mathematics formulation to a common and simplified scenario. Then, for each schema, we explain its intuitive meaning and report issues raised in the literature. We also propose an expansion of taxonomy to account for recent research.

The engineering design is a very comprehensive term and required a number of different disciplines work together. There are many examples of engineering design studies and design of mechanisms is one of them. The design of mechanisms is one of the focused areas by mechanical engineering field and it includes kinematic synthesis, kinematic analysis, kinetics, dynamics, force and optimization of the mechanisms. The mechanisms can be complex; hence, additional help is needed in solution process. At that point, artificial intelligence (AI) of computer science is a really helpful for the mechanical engineers. Artificial intelligence field was found in 1956 and it is applicable to significant parts of the mechanism design. However, mechanical engineers cannot really apply artificial intelligence principles to mechanism design and as a result, design of mechanisms via AI became an interdisciplinary engineering studies between mechanical engineering and computer engineering. In this chapter of the book, mechanism design with artificial intelligence is focused and some sample applications are shown.

Along with the science and technology unceasing progress, the uses of tracing robots become more and more widely. Tracked tracing robot was adopted as the research object in this paper, mechanical structure and control system of robot was designed and developmented. In mechanical structure design part, structure designed and positioned were completed, including design of robot body, wheel, underpan, transmission structure and the positioning of batteries, control panel, sensors, etc, and then robot dynamics was analyzed; In control section, M30245 was used as the core, according to the characteristics of tracked tracing robot differential drive, realization scheme of motion control system was put forward, system drive circuit, detection module, control program were developed. System were discussed and checked through test. From this paper tracked tracing robot was researched, and a certain design and experimental basis can be provided in future research. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i2.1995

This paper outlines the development and implementation of a Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system specifically designed for solid propellant rocket engines, aiming to enhance the portability of hybrid and liquid propellant rocket systems. The proposed system ensures trajectory stability and rapid response to flight emergencies by effectively counteracting external perturbations such as wind. Key components include gyroscopic (GYRO) sensors, a high-performance microcontroller, and servo motors, collectively referred to as thrust vectoring components, which dynamically adjust thrust direction opposite to the rocket’s trajectory to maintain stability. Drawing from an extensive literature review of existing TVC system designs, with a focus on thrust characteristics and engine combustion timing, the design integrates geometric properties, kinematics, forces, energy requirements, safety, cost, and control methods, aligning with both mechanical and avionic design principles. The anticipated outcome is an advancement in rocket propulsion technology, characterized by improved angular speed control, trajectory linearity, and rapid response capabilities.

Assistive devices of human knee joint: A review

With the complexity of mechanical manufacturing system design increasing, the traditional single-objective optimization method can no longer meet the needs of multi-objective optimization, such as lightweight, high efficiency, low energy consumption and long life. Multi-objective optimization algorithm is widely used in mechanical design and manufacturing process planning because of its good convergence and diversity. Taking robot motion planning as an example, this paper analyzes the application methods of multi-objective optimization algorithm in mechanical structure design in detail, including problem description, multi-objective optimization model construction, algorithm application and performance analysis. Through the application of Genetic Algorithm (GA), this paper shows how the multi-objective optimization algorithm can balance multiple objectives such as path length, energy consumption and obstacle avoidance effect, and realize more intelligent and efficient solutions in robot motion planning. Performance analysis shows that GA is superior to single-objective optimization and random search algorithm in optimization effect, computational efficiency and stability. In addition, this paper also discusses the influence of the change of target weight and algorithm parameters on the optimization results, which provides valuable reference for future algorithm optimization and practical application. Multi-objective optimization algorithm shows obvious advantages in mechanical manufacturing system, which provides new ideas and methods for realizing more efficient, more environmentally friendly and more intelligent mechanical manufacturing design.

Cable-driven continuum robots with hyper-redundant deformable backbones show great promise in applications, such as inspection in unstructured environments, where traditional rigid robots with discrete links and joints fail to operate. However, the motion of existing continuum robots is still constrained by their homogeneous backbones, and limited to environments with modest geometrical complexity. In this study, inspired by highly deformable elephant trunks, we presented a modular tensegrity structure with preprogrammable stiffness for continuum robots. Then we derived a mechanical model based on a positional formulation finite element method for predicting the configuration of the structure in different deformation scenarios. Theoretical predictions revealed that the curvature of each segment could be regulated by preprogramming their spring stiffness. Hence, our customizable design could offer an effective route for efficient robotic interactions. We further fabricated a continuum robot consisting of 12 modules, and showcased its deformation patterns under multiple scenarios. By regulating the distribution of spring stiffness, our robot could move through channels with varying curvatures, exhibiting its potential for applications where varying curvature, and conformal and efficient interactions are needed. Leveraging the inherent intelligence, this robotic system could simplify the complexity of the required actuation and control systems.

In order to build autonomous robots that can carry out useful work in unstructured environments new approaches have been developed to building intelligent systems. The relationship to traditional academic robotics and traditional artificial intelligence is examined. In the new approaches a tight coupling of sensing to action produces architectures for intelligence that are networks of simple computational elements which are quite broad, but not very deep. Recent work within this approach has demonstrated the use of representations, expectations, plans, goals, and learning, but without resorting to the traditional uses of central, abstractly manipulable or symbolic representations. Perception within these systems is often an active process, and the dynamics of the interactions with the world are extremely important. The question of how to evaluate and compare the new to traditional work still provokes vigorous discussion.

Minimally Invasive Surgery represents the future of many types of medical inter- ventions such as keyhole neurosurgey or transluminal endoscopic surgery. These procedures involve insertion of surgical instruments such as needles and endoscopes into human body through small incision/ body cavity for biopsy and drug delivery. However, nearly all surgical instruments for these procedures are inserted manually and there is a long learning curve for surgeons to use them properly. Many research efforts have been made to design active instruments (endoscope, needles) to improve this procedure during last decades. New robot mechanisms have been designed and used to improve the dexterity of current endoscope. Usually these robots are flexible and can pass the constrained space for fine manipulations. In recent years, a con- tinuum robotic mechanism has been investigated and designed for medical surgery. Those robots are characterized by the fact that their mechanical components do not have rigid links and discrete joints in contrast with traditional robot manipula- tors. The design of these robots is inspired by movements of natural animals such as tongues, elephant trunks and tentacles. The unusual compliance and redundant degrees of freedom of these robots provide strong potential to achieve delicate tasks successfully even in cluttered and unstructured environments. This chapter will present a complete application of a continuum robot for Mini- mally Invasive Surgery of colonoscopy. This system is composed of a micro-robotic tip, a set of position sensors and a real-time control system for guiding the explo- ration of colon. Details will be described on the modeling of the used pneumatic actuators, the design of the mechanical component, the kinematic model analysis and the control strategy for automatically guiding the progression of the device inside the human colon. Experimental results will be presented to check the perfor- mances of the whole system within a transparent tube.

A novel selective compliant actuator

With the aim of reproducing the grasping and manipulation capabilities of humans, many robotic devices have been developed all over the world in more than 50 years of research, starting from very simple grippers, normally used in industrial activities, to very complex anthropomorphic robotic hands. Unfortunately, the reduced functionality and/or reliability of the devices developed so far prevent, together with the cost, their usability in unstructured environments, and in particular in human everyday activities. The adoption of design solutions inherited from conventional mechanics and the lack of purposely developed sensors and actuators are among the main causes of the partial fail in achieving the final goal of reproducing human manipulation capabilities. Our research activity aims at developing innovative solutions concerning the mechanical design, the sensory equipment and the actuation system for the implementation of anthropomorphic robotic hands with improved reliability, functionality and reduced complexity and cost, considering also aspects related to safety during human–robot interaction, paving the way toward the next generation of robotic hands.KeywordsAngular DisplacementTriangular ElementInnovative TechnologyTactile SensorFuse Deposition ModelingThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

This paper presents the design, modeling and control of a compact wrist, which can work in active mode with position or torque control, or passive mode with interactive force compensation. This characteristic makes it suitable for dexterous manipulation in unstructured environments, such as door opening. Mechanism design is presented briefly, and forward, inverse as well as differential kinematics are derived to map the motions and velocities between the task space and joint space. A distributed robust adaptive controller is developed for tracking control of the wrist in active mode; and a new interactive force compensation technique is proposed on the basis of force sensor measurement, which enables passive working mode of the compact wrist. A DSP based control system is developed to test the developed control methods. A prototype has been fabricated and some preliminary experiments have been conducted to validate the proposed design and to verify the developed algorithms.