Kinematics of Continuum Robots With Constant Curvature Bending and Extension Capabilities

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnau Garriga-Casanovas ◽  
Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena

Continuum robots are becoming increasingly popular due to the capabilities they offer, especially when operating in cluttered environments, where their dexterity, maneuverability, and compliance represent a significant advantage. The subset of continuum robots that also belong to the soft robots category has seen rapid development in recent years, showing great promise. However, despite the significant attention received by these devices, various aspects of their kinematics remain unresolved, limiting their adoption and obscuring their potential. In this paper, the kinematics of continuum robots with the ability to bend and extend are studied, and analytical, closed-form solutions to both the direct and inverse kinematics are presented. The results obtained expose the redundancies of these devices, which are subsequently explored. The solution to the inverse kinematics derived here is shown to provide an analytical, closed-form expression describing the curve associated with these redundancies, which is also presented and analyzed. A condition on the reachable end-effector poses for robots with six actuation degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) is then distilled. The kinematics of robot layouts with over six actuation DOFs are subsequently considered. Finally, simulated results of the inverse kinematics are provided, verifying the study.

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (20) ◽  
pp. 4365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wang Shanda ◽  
Luo Xiao ◽  
Luo Qingsheng ◽  
Han Baoling

This study proposes a method for judging the existence of closed-form inverse kinematics solutions based on the Denavit–Hartenberg (DH) model. In this method, serial robots with closed-form solutions are described using three types of sub-problems from the viewpoint of solving algebraic equations. If a serial robot can be described using these three types of sub-problems, i.e., if the inverse kinematics problems can be solved by several basic problems, then there is a closed-form solution. Based on the above method, we design a set of universal closed-form inverse kinematics solving algorithms. Since there is a definite formula solution for the three types of sub-problems, the joint angles can be rapidly determined. In addition, because the DH parameters can directly reflect the linkage of the robot, the judgment of the sub-problems is also quick and accurate. More importantly, the algorithm can be applied to serial robots with low degrees of freedom. This enables the algorithm to not only quickly and accurately solve inverse kinematics problems but also to exhibit high universality. This proposed theory improves the existence conditions for closed-form reverse solutions and further promotes the development of motion control techniques for serial robots.


2006 ◽  
Vol 304-305 ◽  
pp. 431-435
Author(s):  
Ping Zou ◽  
J. Angeles

In this paper, a novel bipod parallel grinder with four controlled degrees of freedom is introduced. The moving platform of this 2-leg parallel grinder can always keep moving in horizontal plane by means of four-parallelogram mechanism (Π joints). The closed-form solutions of forward and inverse kinematics are derived.


1991 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 828-831 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Tichy

In the thermal analysis of an asperity on a sliding surface in frictional contact with an opposing surface, conditions are often idealized as a moving heat source. The solution to this problem at arbitrary Pe´cle´t number in terms of a singular integral is well known. In this study, closed-form solutions are found in terms of the exponential integral for high Pe´cle´t number. Fortunately, the closed-form solutions are accurate at Pe´cle´t number of order one. While several restrictions are necessary, the closed-form expressions offer considerable numerical savings relative to evaluations of the convolution integral.


Author(s):  
Dianmu Zhang ◽  
Blake Hannaford

Inverse kinematics solves the problem of how to control robot arm joints to achieve desired end effector positions, which is critical to any robot arm design and implementations of control algorithms. It is a common misunderstanding that closed-form inverse kinematics analysis is solved. Popular software and algorithms, such as gradient descent or any multi-variant equations solving algorithm, claims solving inverse kinematics but only on the numerical level. While the numerical inverse kinematics solutions are relatively straightforward to obtain, these methods often fail, even when the inverse kinematics solutions exist. Therefore, closed-form inverse kinematics analysis is superior, but there is no generalized automated algorithm. Up till now, the high-level logical reasoning involved in solving closed-form inverse kinematics made it hard to automate, so it's handled by human experts. We developed IKBT, a knowledge-based intelligent system that can mimic human experts' behaviors in solving closed-from inverse kinematics using Behavior Tree. Knowledge and rules used by engineers when solving closed-from inverse kinematics are encoded as actions in Behavior Tree. The order of applying these rules is governed by higher level composite nodes, which resembles the logical reasoning process of engineers. It is also the first time that the dependency of joint variables, an important issue in inverse kinematics analysis, is automatically tracked in graph form. Besides generating closed-form solutions, IKBT also explains its solving strategies in human (engineers) interpretable form. This is a proof-of-concept of using Behavior Trees to solve high-cognitive problems.


1985 ◽  
Vol 107 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Greenhill ◽  
W. B. Bickford ◽  
H. D. Nelson

The development of finite element formulations for use in rotor dynamics analysis has been the subject of many recent publications. These works have included the effects of rotatory inertia, gyroscopic moments, axial load, internal damping, and shear deformation. However, for most closed-form solutions, the element geometry has been limited to a cylindrical cross-section. This paper extends these previous works by developing a closed-form expression including all of the above effects in a linearly tapered conical cross-section element. Results are also given comparing the formulation to previously published examples, to stepped cylinder representations of conical geometry, and to a general purpose finite element elasticity solution. The elimination of numerical integration in the generation of the element matrices, and the ability of the element to represent both conical and cylindrical geometries, make this formulation particularly suited for use in rotor dynamic analysis computer programs.


Robotica ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-267
Author(s):  
L. Beiner

SUMMARYVariable geometry truss manipulators (VGTM) are static trusses where the lengths of some members can be varied, allowing one to control the position of the free end relative to the fixed one. This paper deals with a planar VGTM consisting of a n–bay triangle-triangle truss with one variable length link (i.e. one DOF) per bay. Closed-form solutions to the forward, inverse, and velocity kinematics of a 3-DOF version of this VGTM are presented, while the forward and inverse kinematics of an n–DOF (redundant) one are solved by a recursive and an iterative method, respectively. A numerical example is presented.


1973 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 533-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Kohli ◽  
A. H. Soni

The mechanisms derived from the seven-link chains with five links in their two loops and having two degrees of freedom are examined for six synthesis problems. Using displacement matrices, closed form synthesis equations are derived. It is shown that three synthesis problems may be solved using the principle of linear superposition, and closed form solutions may be obtained. The other three synthesis problems involve highly nonlinear equations and must be solved numerically.


1991 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 759-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis E. Suarez ◽  
Mahendra P. Singh

A mode synthesis approach is presented to calculate the eigenproperties of a structure from the eigenproperties of its substructures. The approach consists of synthesizing the substructures sequentially, one degree-of-freedom at a time. At each coupling stage, the eigenvalue is obtained as the solution of a characteristic equation, defined in closed form in terms of the eigenproperties obtained in the preceding coupling stage. The roots of the characteristic equation can be obtained by a simple Newton-Raphson root finding scheme. For each calculated eigenvalue, the eigenvector is defined by a simple closed-form expression. The eigenproperties obtained in the final coupling stage provide the desired eigenproperties of the coupled system. Thus, the approach avoids a conventional solution of the second eigenvalue problem. The approach can be implemented with the complete set or a truncated number of substructure modes; if the complete set of modes is used, the calculated eigenproperties would be exact. The approach can be used with any finite element discretization of structures. It requires only the free interface eigenproperties of the substructures. Successful application of the approach to a moderate size problem (255 degrees-of-freedom) on a microcomputer is also demonstrated.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Chen ◽  
Yi Yu ◽  
Yuwang Liu

Abstract The inherent compliance of continuum robots holds great promise in the fields of soft manipulation and safe human-robot interaction. This compliance reduces the risk of damage to the manipulated object and the surroundings. However, continuum robots have theoretically infinite degrees of freedom, and this high flexibility usually leads to complex deformations with external forces and positional constraints. How to describe this complex deformation is the main challenge for modelling continuum robots. In this study, we investigated a novel variable curvature modeling method for continuum robots, considering external forces and positional constraints. The robot configuration curve is described by the developed mechanics model, and then the robot is fitted to the curve. To validate the model, a 10-section continuum robot prototype with a length of 1 m was developed. The ability of the robot to reach the target points and track complex trajectories with load verified the feasibility and accuracy of the model. The ratio of the average position error of the robot endpoint to the robot length was less than 2.38%. This work may serve a new perspective for design analysis and motion control of continuum robots.


Author(s):  
Change-de Zhang ◽  
Shin-Min Song

Abstract This paper presents a novel class of hybrid manipulators composed of two serially connected parallel mechanisms, each of which has three degrees of freedom. The lower and upper platforms respectively control the position and orientation of the end-effector. The advantages of this type of hybrid manipulator are larger workspace (as compared with parallel manipulators) and better rigidity and higher load-carrying capability (as compared with serial manipulators). The closed-form solutions of the forward and inverse position analyses are discussed. For forward position analysis, it is shown that the resultant equation for the positional mechanism is an 8-th order, a 6-th order, a 4-th order, or a 2-nd order polynomial, depending on the geometry and joint types of the passive subchain, while for the orientational mechanism, it is an 8-th order, or a 2-nd polynomial depending on the geometry. For inverse position analysis, it is demonstrated that the positional and orientational mechanisms both possess analytical closed-form solutions.


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