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Caterpillar-Inspired Spring-Based Compressive Continuum Robot for Bristle-based Exploration

Zhixian Hu, Yu She, Juan Wachs

Abstract

Exploration of confined spaces, such as pipelines and ducts, remains challenging for conventional rigid robots due to limited space, irregular geometry, and restricted access. Inspired by caterpillar locomotion and sensing, this paper presents a compact spring-based tendon-driven continuum robot that integrates with commercial robotic arms for confined-space inspection. The system combines a mechanically compliant continuum body with a tendon actuation module, enabling coupled bending and axial length change, and uses a constant-curvature kinematic model for positional control. Experiments show a mean position error of 4.32 mm under the proposed model and control pipeline. To extend the system from motion to inspection, we integrate an artificial bristle contact sensor and demonstrate surface perception and confined-space exploration through contact interactions. This compact and compliant design offers a cost-effective upgrade for commercial robots and promises effective exploration in challenging environments.

Caterpillar-Inspired Spring-Based Compressive Continuum Robot for Bristle-based Exploration

Abstract

Exploration of confined spaces, such as pipelines and ducts, remains challenging for conventional rigid robots due to limited space, irregular geometry, and restricted access. Inspired by caterpillar locomotion and sensing, this paper presents a compact spring-based tendon-driven continuum robot that integrates with commercial robotic arms for confined-space inspection. The system combines a mechanically compliant continuum body with a tendon actuation module, enabling coupled bending and axial length change, and uses a constant-curvature kinematic model for positional control. Experiments show a mean position error of 4.32 mm under the proposed model and control pipeline. To extend the system from motion to inspection, we integrate an artificial bristle contact sensor and demonstrate surface perception and confined-space exploration through contact interactions. This compact and compliant design offers a cost-effective upgrade for commercial robots and promises effective exploration in challenging environments.
Paper Structure (11 sections, 13 equations, 9 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 11 sections, 13 equations, 9 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. INTRODUCTION
  2. METHOD
  3. Mechanical Design of the Manipulation Module
  4. Kinematics Modeling of the Manipulation Module
  5. Design of the Bristle Perception Module
  6. EXPERIMENTS
  7. Experiment Setup
  8. Validation of the Actuation Kinematic Model
  9. Object Surface Perception
  10. Confined Space Exploration
  11. CONCLUSION

Figures (9)

  • Figure 1: Overview of the bristled-caterpillar-inspired robot. (a) Reproduced under the terms of the https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/, Copyright 2006, https://flickr.com/photos/57402879@N00/199014708/in/photolist-iA195-XBMugW-Hk9EoV-2YgME-9UgrQU-pzrAsT-vjUXH5-4XKR6-9Xqmgd-6LsEWi-6Nqz72-y9FtiR-5RAjAB-4MupQV-zsUiB2-AX73Eb-k6FnB-9ePRL6-9HbEgr-6x3dcY-7HFKXb-2zuVR-4LpRGV-3Bh7b-8qAfTg-5jtSj9-4ZXh8-jx1q6-RPLJx-6SMXqw-deXymu-7Lqjsf-XXX9o3-27SW8ZG-opve95-g9kAVm-7bpX6L-8QPRwW-3EEk3-4Dqscm-aSb2f-BaQYm-9oB93z-4EZFaY-Ybg5TR-7oxXU8-9de9g6-aJSmpz-a35Kh3-7HUBdq.
  • Figure 2: Mechanical design. (a) An overview of the mechanical design of the continuum robot. (b) and (c) are the side view and the top sectional view of the actuation part of the continuum robot.
  • Figure 3: (a) Kinematic modeling of the continuum robot. The x axes of the coordinate frames are denoted by the red arrows, the y axes are green, and the z axes are blue. (b) The relationship between the tendon-attached points and the spring holders.
  • Figure 4: Workspace of the continuum robot. The coordinate system here is Frame $D$, and the origin is the center of the bottom of the spring.
  • Figure 5: Experiment setups. (a) and (b) are the side view and the top view of the setup of the kinematics validation experiment. (c) is the setup for the object surface perception experiment.
  • ...and 4 more figures