Continuum robots are the biologically inspired robots that mimic the behaviors of mammalian tongues, elephant trunks, and octopus arms. These robots feature a backboneless structure similar to their biological counterparts, such as termed muscular hydrostats. The drawbacks of two existing designs are examined and a new mechanical design that uses a single latex rubber tube as the central member is proposed, providing a design that is both simple and robust. Next, a novel verification procedure is applied to examine the validity of the proposed model in two different domains of applicability. A two-level electrical control scheme enables rapid prototyping and can be used to control the continuum robot remotely with a joystick via a Local Area Network (LAN). Next, a new geometrical approach to solve inverse kinematics for continuum type robot manipulators is introduced. Given the tip of a three-section robot, end-points of section 1 and section 2 are computed, and a complete inverse kinematics solution for a multisection continuum robot is then achieved by applying inverse kinematics to each section continuum trunk. Moreover, the algorithm provides a solution space rather than a single valid solution. Finally, the techniques involved in visualization of AirOctor/OctArm in 3D space in real-time are discussed.The algorithm has been tested with several system topologies.

No description available.

Variable Geometry Trusses (VGT’s) can be used as the fundamental building blocks in constructing long-chain, high degree-of-freedom manipulators. This thesis focuses on the kinematics of two such manipulators. It also illustrates how the concept of shape control can be applied to simplify the computational aspects of controlling these devices. To serve as examples, algorithms are developed for the control of both a thirty degree of freedom planar manipulator and a sixty degree-of-freedom spatial manipulator. Based on a review of the literature, this work appears to be the first attempt to develop real-time, position control strategies for such highly-dexterous manipulators. / Master of Science / incomplete_metadata

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia Institute of Technology, 1989. / Shipping list no.: 90-0587-M. "April, 1989." "NASA grant NAG1-623"--P. [iii]. Includes bibliographical references (p. 162-166). Also available via Internet from the NASA Technical Report Server web site. Address as of 4/26/06: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19900004467%5F1990004467.pdf; current access available via PURL.

No description available.

No description available.

This dissertation proposes a new type of modular, long-reach, truss-type manipulator. Variable Geometry Trusses (VGT’s) are used to construct a reconfigurable manipulator system in which all primary members are loaded in pure tension or compression. Each module of the manipulator system is either a static truss link or one of several possible VGT actuators. This results in an extremely stiff and strong manipulator system with minimal overall weight. While many potential applications exist for this technology, the present work was largely motivated by the need for a robotic waste remediation system for underground radioactive waste storage tanks. This new manipulator system provides several advantages when used for this application. The reconfigurable nature of the proposed system allows the manipulator to be adapted on site to unforeseen conditions. Additionally, the kinematic redundancy of the manipulator ensures that solutions can be accomplished even in a highly obstructed workspace. The parallel structure of the truss modules enables the manipulator to be withdrawn in the event of a structural failure. Finally, of particular importance to this task, the open framework of the modules provide a passageway for waste conveyance or additionally, could act as a shielded conduit for control and power cabling. Kinematic analysis algorithms tailored to address the peculiarities of this new manipulator system have also been developed. In this work, the kinematic redundancy of the system is exploited to provide alternative solutions, to avoid numerical difficulties at singularities, or to avoid workspace obstacles. These issues are addressed through a combination of null space optimization procedures and order reduction methods. The null space optimization procedures are accomplished by extracting information from a full singular value decomposition of the Jacobian matrix. This method is shown to converge quickly, even for systems with thirty or more degrees of freedom. This represents a significant increase over most of the current literature which typically addresses systems of eight or fewer degrees of freedom. This dissertation presents the first application of null space optimization techniques for the positional control of a high degree-of-freedom parallel manipulators. This work also formalizes the concept of a canonical input specification set. The application of this concept results in greatly simplified analyses of many parallel manipulators. Although the manipulator system discussed was specifically developed for robotic handling of radioactive waste, the final resulting methodology is suited to a much broader class of problems, namely, under-constrained, redundant manipulator systems in general. / Ph. D.

published_or_final_version / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

by Kwok Lai Ho Victor. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-82). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Background --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- History of Robotics --- p.5 / Chapter 2.2 --- Autonomous Robot Systems --- p.7 / Chapter 2.3 --- 3D Windowing Simulators --- p.8 / Chapter 2.4 --- Robot Simulation in VR --- p.8 / Chapter 3 --- Objective --- p.11 / Chapter 4 --- Articulated Structures --- p.13 / Chapter 4.1 --- Joints and links --- p.13 / Chapter 4.2 --- Degrees of Freedom --- p.16 / Chapter 4.3 --- Denavit-Hartenberg Notation --- p.17 / Chapter 5 --- Virtual Manipulators --- p.20 / Chapter 5.1 --- Arm(N-link) Structure --- p.20 / Chapter 5.2 --- Hand Model --- p.24 / Chapter 6 --- Motion Control Techniques --- p.27 / Chapter 6.1 --- Kinematics --- p.27 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Forward Kinematics --- p.27 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Inverse Kinematics --- p.29 / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Solving Kinematics Problem --- p.29 / Chapter 6.1.4 --- Redundancy --- p.31 / Chapter 6.1.5 --- Singularities --- p.32 / Chapter 6.2 --- Dynamics --- p.33 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Forward Dynamics --- p.34 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Inverse Dynamics --- p.35 / Chapter 6.3 --- Combination of Two Control Modes --- p.35 / Chapter 6.4 --- Constraints and Optimization --- p.36 / Chapter 7 --- Physical Feedback Systems --- p.38 / Chapter 7.1 --- Touch Feedback --- p.39 / Chapter 7.2 --- Force Feedback --- p.41 / Chapter 7.3 --- Force/Touch Feedback Systems --- p.42 / Chapter 8 --- Virtual Object Manipulation --- p.43 / Chapter 8.1 --- Previous Work --- p.44 / Chapter 8.2 --- Physics-based Virtual-hand Grasping --- p.45 / Chapter 8.3 --- Visual Correction --- p.43 / Chapter 8.3.1 --- Joint Correction --- p.50 / Chapter 8.3.2 --- Odd Finger Configurations --- p.51 / Chapter 8.4 --- Active Grasping --- p.52 / Chapter 8.5 --- Collision Detection of Complex Objects --- p.54 / Chapter 9 --- Experiments --- p.57 / Chapter 9.1 --- System Architecture --- p.57 / Chapter 9.1.1 --- Tracking System --- p.53 / Chapter 9.1.2 --- Glove System --- p.59 / Chapter 9.1.3 --- Host Computer --- p.60 / Chapter 9.2 --- Experimental Results --- p.60 / Chapter 9.2.1 --- General application --- p.61 / Chapter 9.2.2 --- Relationship between frictional coefficient and mass of the object --- p.61 / Chapter 10 --- Conclusions --- p.67 / Chapter 10.1 --- Summary --- p.67 / Chapter 10.2 --- Contributions --- p.69 / Chapter 10.3 --- Future Work --- p.69 / Chapter A --- Description files --- p.71 / Chapter A.1 --- Scene Description --- p.71 / Chapter A.2 --- Hand Description --- p.73 / Bibliography --- p.77