Dynamics modeling of a 2-DoFs cable-driven continuum robot

Abstract

PurposeContinuum robots modeling, be it from a hard or soft class, is giving rise to several challenges compared with rigid robots. These challenges are mainly due to kinematic redundancy, dynamic nonlinearity and high flexibility. This paper aims initially at designing a hard class of continuum robots, namely, cable-driven continuum robot (CDCR) and equally at developing their kinematic and dynamic models.Design/methodology/approachFirst, the CDCR prototype is constructed, and its description is made. Second, kinematic models are established based on the constant curvature assumption and inextensible bending section. Third, by using the Lagrange method, the dynamic model is derived under some simplifications and based on the kinematic equations, in which the flexible backbone’s elasticity modulus was identified experimentally. Finally, the static model of the CDCR is also derived based on the dynamic model.FindingsNumerical examples are carried out using Matlab software to verify the static and dynamic models. Moreover, the static model is validated by comparing the simulation’s results to the real measurements that have been provided with satisfactory results.Originality/valueTo reduce the complexity of the dynamic model’s expressions and avoid the numerical singularity when the bending angle is close to zero, some simplifications have been taken, especially for the kinetic energy terms, by using the nonlinear functions approximation. Hence, the main advantage of this analytical-approximate solution is that it can be applied in the bending angle that ranges up to 2p with reasonable errors, unlike the previously proposed techniques. Furthermore, the resulting dynamic model has, to some extent, the proprieties of simplicity, accuracy and fast computation time. Ultimately, the obtained results from the simulations and real measurements demonstrate that the considered CDCR’s static and dynamic models are feasible.