Research Article
Open access
Published on 20 March 2025
Download pdf
Wang,Y. (2025). Workspace Analysis of the Tendon-driven Continuum Robots with Different Numbers of Segments. Applied and Computational Engineering,134,10-16.
Export citation

Workspace Analysis of the Tendon-driven Continuum Robots with Different Numbers of Segments

Yichao Wang *,1,
  • 1 College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China, 712100

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

https://doi.org/10.54254/2755-2721/2025.LD21577

Abstract

Tendon-driven continuum robots (TDCRs) are extensively employed in medical equipment, rescue, and other fields. Currently, most studies solve the workspace of continuum robots based on a specific number of segments. There is no comparison between different numbers of segments. In this work, we explored the workspace of single- and two-stage TDCRs and compared the shape volume of the workspace. We implemented a kinematic modeling approach based on the constant curvature model to analyze the impact of segment numbers on the workspace. This efficient approach allowed us to compute the workspace of two different TDCRs with less computation time and draw the workspace volume. Therefore, we observe the effect of different numbers of segments of continuum robots on the robot's workspace. The results show that increasing the number of segments significantly enhances the robot's workspace and changes its shape and volume. This research provides practical insights into the effect of segment numbers on the workspace of TDCRs. This analysis can guide future TDCR planning and control, helping to identify the optimal segments for a given workspace and design strategies to maximize workspace efficiency.

Keywords

tendon-driven continuum robots, segments, kinematic modelling, workspace

[1]. Webster III, R. J., & Jones, B. A. (2010). Design and kinematic modeling of constant curvature continuum robots: A review. The International Journal of Robotics Research, 29(13), 1661-1683.

[2]. Jones, B. A., & Walker, I. D. (2006). Kinematics for multisection continuum robots. IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 22(1), 43-55.

[3]. Laschi, C., Cianchetti, M., Mazzolai, B., Margheri, L., Follador, M., & Dario, P. (2012). Soft robot arm inspired by the octopus. Advanced robotics, 26(7), 709-727.

[4]. Rao, P., Peyron, Q., Lilge, S., & Burgner-Kahrs, J. (2021). How to model tendon-driven continuum robots and benchmark modelling performance. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 7, 630245.

[5]. Mason, M. T. (2001). Mechanics of robotic manipulation. MIT press.

[6]. Granna, J., & Burgner, J. (2014, June). Characterizing the workspace of concentric tube continuum robots. In ISR/Robotik 2014; 41st International Symposium on Robotics (pp. 1-7). VDE.

[7]. Corke, P. I. (2007). A simple and systematic approach to assigning Denavit–Hartenberg parameters. IEEE transactions on robotics, 23(3), 590-594.

[8]. Robinson, G., & Davies, J. B. C. (1999, May). Continuum robots-a state of the art. In Proceedings 1999 IEEE international conference on robotics and automation (Cat. No. 99CH36288C) (Vol. 4, pp. 2849-2854). IEEE.

[9]. Ma, K., Chen, X., Zhang, J., Xie, Z., Wu, J., & Zhang, J. (2023). Inspired by physical intelligence of an elephant trunk: Biomimetic soft robot with pre-programmable localized stiffness. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 8(5), 2898-2905.

[10]. Denavit, J., & Hartenberg, R. S. (1955). A kinematic notation for lower-pair mechanisms based on matrices.

[11]. Cao, K., Kang, R., Branson III, D. T., Geng, S., Song, Z., & Dai, J. S. (2017). Workspace analysis of tendon-driven continuum robots based on mechanical interference identification. Journal of Mechanical Design, 139(6), 062303.

[12]. Rao, P., Peyron, Q., Lilge, S., & Burgner-Kahrs, J. (2021). How to model tendon-driven continuum robots and benchmark modelling performance. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 7, 630245.

[13]. Metropolis, N., & Ulam, S. (1949). The Monte Carlo method. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 44(247), 335-341.

Cite this article

Wang,Y. (2025). Workspace Analysis of the Tendon-driven Continuum Robots with Different Numbers of Segments. Applied and Computational Engineering,134,10-16.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

Disclaimer/Publisher's Note

The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Signal Processing and Machine Learning

ISBN:978-1-83558-955-7(Print) / 978-1-83558-956-4(Online)
Conference date: 12 February 2025
Editor:Stavros Shiaeles, Bilyaminu Romo Auwal
Series: Applied and Computational Engineering
Volume number: Vol.134
ISSN:2755-2721(Print) / 2755-273X(Online)

© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who publish this series agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this series.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this series.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See Open access policy for details).