Journal article
Synthesis and analysis of a flexible elephant trunk robot
Advanced robotics, Vol.20(6), pp.631-659
01/01/2006
DOI: 10.1163/156855306777361631
Abstract
This paper presents a novel synthesis and analysis of a flexible elephant trunk robot (biological continuum-style manipulator). The robot includes eight flexible segments, although it can be extended to more segments as necessary. In this study the gravity of the springs is neglected
due to the fact that the manipulation force is much larger than these gravity forces. This mechanism exhibits a wide range of maneuverability and has a large number of degrees of freedom. Each segment is designed using a novel flexible mechanism based on the loading of a compression spring
in both transverse and axial directions, and using cable-conduit systems. The rotational motion is transformed to tendon-like behavior, which enables the location of the actuators away from the trunk (e.g. at the end of the trunk). The forward kinematics of the mechanism is also presented
and lends itself well to computer control. It is shown that the solution of the transverse deflection of each segment is obtained in a general form, while the stiffness coefficients are obtained in closed form from a two-dimensional model (small and large deflection angles) and from a three-dimensional
model used in a finite element method to verify results. The friction in the analysis between the cable and the conduit is neglected in the analysis. A prototype trunk segment is experimentally tested, the results are verified and the elephant trunk robot is built. A bench-top actuation system
has been developed and a control scheme used in prosthetic hand control has been implemented to control the mechanism.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Synthesis and analysis of a flexible elephant trunk robot
- Creators
- Jingzhou YangEsteban Peña PitarchJason PotratzSteven BeckKarim Abdel-Malek
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Advanced robotics, Vol.20(6), pp.631-659
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Group
- DOI
- 10.1163/156855306777361631
- ISSN
- 0169-1864
- eISSN
- 1568-5535
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/01/2006
- Academic Unit
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984064589102771
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