Length-Variable Bionic Continuum Robot With Millimeter-Scale Diameter and Compliant Driving Force

Shiying Zhao; Qingxin Meng; Xuzhi Lai; Jinhua She; Edwardo Fumihiko Fukushima; Min Wu

doi:10.1109/JAS.2024.125091

IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica

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Article Navigation > IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica > 2025 > In Press, Accepted Manuscript

S. Zhao, Q. Meng, X. Lai, J. She, E. Fukushima, and M. Wu, “Length-variable bionic continuum robot with millimeter-scale diameter and compliant driving force,” IEEE/CAA J. Autom. Sinica, 2025. doi: 10.1109/JAS.2024.125091

Citation:

S. Zhao, Q. Meng, X. Lai, J. She, E. Fukushima, and M. Wu, “Length-variable bionic continuum robot with millimeter-scale diameter and compliant driving force,” IEEE/CAA J. Autom. Sinica, 2025. doi: 10.1109/JAS.2024.125091

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Length-Variable Bionic Continuum Robot With Millimeter-Scale Diameter and Compliant Driving Force

doi: 10.1109/JAS.2024.125091

Funds: This work was supported by the Young Scientists Fund of National Natural Science Foundation of China (62203408), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2023M733307), the Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (2015CFA010), the 111 Project (B17040), and the “CUG Scholar” Scientific Research Funds at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) (2022088)

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Author Bio:
Shiying Zhao received the B.S. degree in engineering from the China University of Geosciences, in 2020, where she is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in control science and engrineering with the School of Automation.Since December 2023, she has also been a Research Student with School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Technology, Tokyo, Japan. Her current research interests include modeling and control of continuum robots, and nonlinear system control

Qingxin Meng (Member, IEEE) received the B.S. degree in engineering from the Hebei University of Technology in 2016, and the Ph.D. degree in engineering from the China University of Geosciences in 2021.From 2019 to 2021, he was a Research Intern with the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. In 2022, he joined the School of Automation, China University of Geosciences, where he is currently a Professor. His current research interests include soft robot control and nonlinear system control

Xuzhi Lai received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in engineering from Central South University in 1988, 1991, and 2001, respectively.From 1991 to 2014, she was a Faculty Member of the School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, and was promoted to Professor in 2004. From 1998 to 1999, she was a Visiting Scholar with the Department of Mechatronics, School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Technology, Tokyo, Japan. From 2004 to 2006, she was a Visiting Scholar with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, and with the School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada. In 2014, she joined the China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China, where she is currently a Professor with the School of Automation. Her current research interests include intelligent control, robot control, and nonlinear system control

Jinhua She (Fellow, IEEE) received the B.S.degree in engineering from Central South University, Changsha, China, in 1983, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in engineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, in 1990 and 1993, respectively.In 1993, he joined the School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Japan, where he is currently a Professor. His research interests include the application of control theory, repetitive control, process control, mobile education, and assistive robotics.Dr. She is a member of the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers, the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Architectural Institute of Japan,and the Asian Control Association. He received the Control Engineering Practice Prize Paper Award from the International Federation of Automatic Control in 1999 (jointly with M. Wu and M. Nakano)

Edwardo F. Fukushima (Member, IEEE) received the B. Eng. degree in electric engineering from the Federal Center of Technological Education of Parana (CEFET-PR), Brazil, in 1989, and the M. Eng. degree and D. Eng. degree in mechanical science engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, in 1993 and 2002, respectively.During September−December 2001, he was a Visiting Researcher at Stanford University, and during August−September 2004 he was a Visiting Scientist at University of Zurich, Switzerland. In 1994, he joined the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan. In 2014, he joined Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Japan, where he is currently a Professor. His research interests include development of demining robots, new brushless motors and drives, and design of controllers for intelligent robots.Dr. Fukushima is a member of the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers, the Robotics of Society of Japan, the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. In 2014, he also received the Best Paper Award from SICE, Japan

Min Wu (Fellow, IEEE) received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in engineering from Central South University in 1983 and 1986, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in engineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, in 1999.He was a Faculty Member with the School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, from 1986 to 2014, and was promoted to Professor in 1994. In 2014, he joined the China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China, where he is currently a Professor with the School of Automation. He was a Visiting Scholar with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, from 1989 to 1990, and a Visiting Research Scholar with the Department of Control and Systems Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, from 1996 to 1999. He was a Visiting Professor with the School of Mechanical, Materials, Manufacturing Engineering and Management, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, U.K., from 2001 to 2002. His current research interests include robust control, process control, and intelligent systems.Prof. Wu is a fellow of the Chinese Association of Automation. He was the recipient of the IFAC Control Engineering Practice Prize Paper Award in 1999 (together with M. Nakano and J. She)
Corresponding author: Qingxin Meng, e-mail: mengqx@cug.edu.cn
Received Date: 2024-03-15
Revised Date: 2024-08-01
Accepted Date: 2024-12-03

Available Online: 2025-01-06

Abstract

Abstract

Compared with conventional rigid-link robots, bionic continuum robots (CRs) show great potential in unstructured environments because of their adaptivity and continuous deformation ability. However, designing a CR to achieve miniaturization, variable length and compliant driving force remains a challenge. Here, inspired by the earthworm in nature, we report a length-variable bionic CR with millimeter-scale diameter and compliant driving force. The CR consists of two main components: the robot body and soft drives. The robot body is only 6 mm in diameter, and is composed of a backbone and transmission devices. The backbone is divided into three segments, and each segment is capable of adjusting its length and bending like the earthworm. The maximum length variation of the backbone can reach an astonishing 70 mm with a backbone’s initial length of 150 mm, and the maximum bending angle of each segment can reach 120 degrees. In addition, we develop soft drives using pneumatic soft actuators (PSAs) as a replacement for the rigid motors typically used in conventional CRs. These soft drives control the motions of the transmission devices, enabling length variation and bending of the backbone. By utilizing these soft drives, we ensure that the robot body has a compliant driving force, which addresses users’ concerns about human safety during interactions. In practical applications, we prove that this CR can perform delicate manipulations by successfully completing writing tasks. Additionally, we show its application value for detections and medical treatments by entering the narrow tube and the oral.
- Bionic robot,
- continuum robots (CRs),
- robot design,
- soft drive

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Length-Variable Bionic Continuum Robot With Millimeter-Scale Diameter and Compliant Driving Force

doi: 10.1109/JAS.2024.125091

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