Closed-Form Non-Singular Constant-Curvature Continuum Manipulator Kinematics

Abstract

Continuum manipulators describe robotic arms which achieve motion by bending continuously along their length. This paper presents a kinematic parameterization of such arms, which avoids a problematic singularity common to previous approaches. It provides a closed-form and computationally efficient description of the kinematics of joint sections that are assumed to make circular arcs. This approach applies to a broad class of manipulator designs and does not depend on the number or position of actuators (e.g. tendons or artificial muscles). This parameterization has enabled real-time dynamics modeling of robotic manipulators composed of continuum joints.