Path Planning of Continuum Robot Actuated by Shape Memory Alloy

doi:10.3901/JME.2023.15.050

Abstract

Abstract: Continuum robot is a kind of robot that can continuously bend in the narrow environment with many obstacles. The current continuum robots are mainly actuated by rope, with complex mechanical structure and serious coupling between joints, resulting in complex control and difficulty in extending in length direction. Shape memory alloy (SMA), as a new kind of intelligent material, has the function of driving and sensing at the same time, and its weight is light, the driving force per unit volume is large, as the driving device of the robot is helpful to reduce its structural volume, and improve its control mode. Therefore, the SMA actuated continuum robot is proposed, and the path planning algorithm is analyzed to ensure the safety of the continuum robot along the path while ensuring the efficiency of the robot movement. By combining the driving characteristics of SMA, the Kinematic analysis and structure design of the continuum robot are carried out. On this basis, the A* path planning algorithm is improved and optimized by combining the constant curvature kinematic model, so that it is more consistent with the motion characteristics of the continuous robot. Experiment results illustrate that the improved A* algorithm proposed has the advantages of short search time, high planning efficiency and good adaptability to the environment.

Key words: continuum robotics, SMA, kinematic analysis, structure design, path planning

CLC Number:

TP242

YAN Lutao, WANG Qi, LI Haiyuan, ZHANG Qinjian. Path Planning of Continuum Robot Actuated by Shape Memory Alloy[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2023, 59(15): 50-61.

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