Intrinsic Wrench Estimation and Its Performance Index for Multisegment Continuum Robots

• Published in: IEEE transactions on robotics Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 555 - 561
• Main Authors: Kai Xu, Simaan, Nabil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.2010; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Axial loads; Backbone; Biological and medical sciences; Computer science; control theory; systems; Continuum robots; Continuums; Control theory. Systems; Design automation; Detection; Estimating techniques; Exact sciences and technology; Force feedback; Force measurement; force sensing; Force sensors; haptic feedback; Haptic interfaces; Haptics; Magnetic resonance imaging; Measurement; Medical sciences; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Performance analysis; Performance evaluation; performance index; Robot sensing systems; Robotics; Robots; Sensors; Spine; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; surgical assistant; Wrenches; Capability index; Force measurement; Measurement sensor; surgical assistant; Feedback regulation; Robotics; Tentacle; Tactile sensitivity; Multiagent system; Biomimetics; Gripper; Surgery; haptic feedback; Force transducer; Continuum mechanics; performance index; Axial load; Continuum robots; force sensing
• ISSN: 1552-3098; 1941-0468
• DOI: 10.1109/TRO.2010.2046924

This paper presents the intrinsic capability of full-wrench estimation of multisegment continuum robots with multiple flexible backbones. Intrinsic-full-wrench estimation refers to the ability of continuum robots to also serve as force and moment sensors by using measurements of axial loads on their backbones. This end-effector-as-sensor approach fulfills the rapidly increasing needs for miniature-robotic-surgical tools with haptic sensing ability subject to various limitations, such as size, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatibility, sterilizability, etc. A performance index for the intrinsic wrench-sensing capability is introduced and evaluated to show how this index can serve as a design guide for continuum robots that provide force sensing.