Parametric Design of Continuum Robots Using Interlocking Ball Joints

Abstract

Continuum robots are promising systems for minimally invasive surgical procedures, enabling safe and dexterous access to deep regions in the human body. Their design and fabrication can be adapted to a wide range of application‐specific requirements. Unfortunately, the current lack of standardized methods for producing these designs impedes the development and adoption of new continuum robots (CRs). Herein, a parametric design methodology is introduced for producing a wide variety of CRsbased on application‐specific requirements. This approach is based on interlocking ball joint subunits that enable the generation of modular systems. The methodology is demonstrated by designing a magnetically actuated continuum robot for cardiac ablations. The design is generated using an open‐source parametric computer‐aided design toolbox, and prototypes are experimentally validated in vitro and ex vivo, demonstrating the ability of the toolbox to produce functional systems with minimal effort and input from the user.