Reducing Actuators in Soft Continuum Robots and Manipulators

Mohamed Shoani; Mohamed Najib Ribuan; Ahmad Athif Mohd Faudzi; Shahrol Mohamaddan

doi:10.3390/app13010462

Reducing Actuators in Soft Continuum Robots and Manipulators

Mohamed Shoani, Mohamed Najib Ribuan, Ahmad Athif Mohd Faudzi, Shahrol Mohamaddan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Soft continuum robots and manipulators (SCRaMs) are elongated structures that can be used in many applications, such as exploration, inspection, and minimally invasive surgery. Multi-segment SCRaMs employ numerous actuators to perform their tasks. The large number of actuators increases the cost and complexity of a SCRaM and reduces its reliability. In this paper, a methodology is presented to reduce the number of actuators employed by SCRaMs while maintaining their volumetric workspace. The method presents a new design approach involving one rotary and two linear actuators, providing three degrees of freedom (DOF) and a volumetric workspace. The result of applying the transformation is a 50–86% reduction in the total number of actuators typically employed by multi-segment SCRaMs. The application of this methodology reduces the cost and complexity of conventional multi-segment SCRaMs while improving their efficiency and reliability.

Original language	English
Article number	462
Journal	Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
Volume	13
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010462
Publication status	Published - 2023 Jan

Keywords

actuator reduction
continuum structures
design methodology
soft robotics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Materials Science(all)
Instrumentation
Engineering(all)
Process Chemistry and Technology
Computer Science Applications
Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes

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10.3390/app13010462

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title = "Reducing Actuators in Soft Continuum Robots and Manipulators",

abstract = "Soft continuum robots and manipulators (SCRaMs) are elongated structures that can be used in many applications, such as exploration, inspection, and minimally invasive surgery. Multi-segment SCRaMs employ numerous actuators to perform their tasks. The large number of actuators increases the cost and complexity of a SCRaM and reduces its reliability. In this paper, a methodology is presented to reduce the number of actuators employed by SCRaMs while maintaining their volumetric workspace. The method presents a new design approach involving one rotary and two linear actuators, providing three degrees of freedom (DOF) and a volumetric workspace. The result of applying the transformation is a 50–86% reduction in the total number of actuators typically employed by multi-segment SCRaMs. The application of this methodology reduces the cost and complexity of conventional multi-segment SCRaMs while improving their efficiency and reliability.",

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author = "Mohamed Shoani and Ribuan, {Mohamed Najib} and {Mohd Faudzi}, {Ahmad Athif} and Shahrol Mohamaddan",

note = "Funding Information: The research has been carried out under the Research Excellence Consortium (JPT (BPKI) 1000/016/018/25 (57)) with the title “Consortium of Robotics Technology for Search and Rescue Operations” (CORTESRO) by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE). The authors also acknowledge Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) under vote no (4L930) for the facilities and support to complete this research. The authors would also like to acknowledge the support provided by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) for their grant UTHM TIER 1, Grant No. H763. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 by the authors.",

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doi = "10.3390/app13010462",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

journal = "Applied Sciences (Switzerland)",

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N1 - Funding Information: The research has been carried out under the Research Excellence Consortium (JPT (BPKI) 1000/016/018/25 (57)) with the title “Consortium of Robotics Technology for Search and Rescue Operations” (CORTESRO) by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE). The authors also acknowledge Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) under vote no (4L930) for the facilities and support to complete this research. The authors would also like to acknowledge the support provided by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) for their grant UTHM TIER 1, Grant No. H763. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.

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N2 - Soft continuum robots and manipulators (SCRaMs) are elongated structures that can be used in many applications, such as exploration, inspection, and minimally invasive surgery. Multi-segment SCRaMs employ numerous actuators to perform their tasks. The large number of actuators increases the cost and complexity of a SCRaM and reduces its reliability. In this paper, a methodology is presented to reduce the number of actuators employed by SCRaMs while maintaining their volumetric workspace. The method presents a new design approach involving one rotary and two linear actuators, providing three degrees of freedom (DOF) and a volumetric workspace. The result of applying the transformation is a 50–86% reduction in the total number of actuators typically employed by multi-segment SCRaMs. The application of this methodology reduces the cost and complexity of conventional multi-segment SCRaMs while improving their efficiency and reliability.

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Reducing Actuators in Soft Continuum Robots and Manipulators

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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