A novel inverse kinematics algorithm using the Kepler oval for continuum robots

Abstract

This paper tries to analyze the inverse kinematics problem of the inextensible continuum robot from a new perspective. In the analysis, the generatrix of the robot's workspace is studied and replaced by the Kepler oval. Then the complicated inverse kinematics problem of the multi-section continuum robot is transformed into the easy problem in solving the binary equation set consist of the oval equations. Based on the analysis, the inverse kinematics algorithm for the single-section and multi-section continuum robot is designed. The accuracy and the computational efficiency of the proposed algorithm are evaluated by the positioning error and the computational time, respectively. Two simulations are implemented to verify the validation of the novel algorithm, and the results show the algorithm has a very good performance in accuracy and computational efficiency. The novel inverse kinematics algorithm using the Kepler oval proposed in this paper are generic, which can be extended for analyzing such flexible robots.