In the past two decades, a large number of robot fishes have been built, though their performances are still far inferior compared with that real fish. One key reasons is design. This paper presents novel The innovation combination an active wire-driven body soft compliant tail to accomplish undulatory swimming (i.e., flapping in "S" motion). First, design presented. Second, and analysis model given. particular, it shown can be modeled through proposed multipseudolink model. Then, prototype...

Soft robotic hand/gloves for hand rehabilitation can aid the performance of activities daily living (ADL). Although existing soft hands assist with finger flexion, few have addressed extension, which is a challenging task stroke patients due to poststroke spasticity. In this article, we describe design composite actuator, soft-elastic actuator (SECA), facilitate both flexion and extension. A double-segmented SECA comprising two serially connected fiber-reinforced actuators bottom...

Wire-driven flexible robots are efficient devices for minimally invasive surgery, since they can work well in complex and confined environments. However, the real-time positional shape information of robot cannot be estimated, especially when there is an unknown payload or force working on end effector. In this paper, we propose a novel tip tracking sensing method wire-driven robots. The proposed based length each section as directional distal robot. For section, electromagnetic sensor will...

The wire-driven flexible robot with multiple bending sections is an efficient approach for the minimally invasive surgery and diagnosis. It can function properly in complicated restrained environment. One drawback of this technology that real-time positional shape information cannot be well estimated. In order to settle limitation, we proposed a novel estimation method paper. Each section controlled independently deform as arc different curvatures. This based on directional limited specific...

Automation in robotic surgery has become an increasingly attractive topic. Although full automation remains fictional, task autonomy and conditional are highly achievable. Apart from the performance of fulfillment, one major concern is safety. In this paper, we present a flexible endoscope that can help to guide minimally invasive surgical operations automatically. It developed based on tendon-driven continuum mechanism integrated with da Vinci research kit. total, proposed six...

Abstract We have developed an interactive system comprising a soft wearable robot hand and wireless task board, facilitating the interaction between regular daily objects for task-oriented training in stroke rehabilitation. A ring-reinforced actuator (RSA) to accommodate different sizes enable flexion extension movements was introduced this paper. Individually controlled finger actuators assist patients during various grasping tasks. board support training, allowing placement of seamless...

Soft robots are considered intrinsically safe with regard to human–robot interaction. This has motivated the development and investigation of soft medical robots, such as robotic gloves for stroke rehabilitation. However, output force conventional purely actuators is usually limited. restricts their application in rehabilitation, which requires a large bidirectional movement. In addition, accurate control difficult owing nonlinearity actuators. this study, glove designed based on...

This letter presents an experimental study on how different body flapping patterns affect the performances of fish cruising. First, a biomimetic robot is designed and built as platform, which mimics skeleton structure muscle arrangement real fish. Moreover, improved Central Pattern Generator (CPG) developed to generate patterns, are characterized by four control parameters: (1) amplitude, (2) frequency, (3) time ratio between beating phase half cycle, (4) shape parameter. Then, number...

This article designs and analyzes a recurrent neural network (RNN) for the visual servoing of flexible surgical endoscope. The endoscope is based on commercially available UR5 robot with attached as an end-effector. Most existing servo control frameworks robotic endoscopes or arms have not considered either physical limits remote center motion (RCM) constraints (i.e., fulcrum effect). To tackle this issue, first conducts kinematic modeling to achieve automation by control. results in...

Inspired by the octopus and snakes, we designed built a wire-driven serpentine robot arm. The arm is made of number rigid nodes connected two sets wires. act as backbone while wires work muscle, which enables 2 DOF bending. forward kinematics derived using D-H method, inverse its workspace can be solved geometric analysis. To validate design, prototype built. It found that positioning error generally less than 2%. advantage this with several fixed rest are still controllable. smaller when...

In this paper, a novel flexible robot system with constrained tendon-driven serpentine manipulator (CTSM) is presented. The CTSM gives the larger workspace, more dexterous manipulation, and controllable stiffness compared da Vinci surgical traditional robots. tele-operated using Novint Falcon haptic device. Two control modes are implemented, direct mapping incremental mode. each mode, can be manipulated either highest scheme or minimal movement scheme. advantages of shown by simulation...

Continuum robots have been attracting extensive attentions in the past few years due to their potential applications minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Force sensing is critical surgical which require palpation or deal with delicate structures. This letter addresses on force issue of continuum robots. We propose a new method based shape reconstruction algorithm and robot kinematic-static model. only requires pose tip tensions driving cables. Experiments simulations are carried out validate...

In this paper we present a pneumatic driven soft earthworm robot targeted for gastrointestinal (GI) tract inspection. The contains two expanding sections and one extending section with bending function. This allows the crawling through tubular environment such as colon. Pressure inside actuators are monitored well, which enables to regulate PWM delivered robot. Three different versions of our robots prototyped tested using PVC tube ex vivo pig Results show that all could crawl effectively in...

This letter presents a novel flexible robotic endoscope with constrained tendon-driven continuum mechanism (CTCM) which is targeted for bariatric surgery. The composed of UR5 robot and CTCM-based endoscope. By introducing constraint tube, both the angulation length segment can be controlled, ensuring improved flexibility dexterity. kinematic modeling conducted remote center motion (RCM) constraints physical limits system considered. To automate robot, image-based visual servoing technique...

In this article, a recurrent neural network (RNN) is accelerated and applied to visual servo control of physically constrained robotic flexible endoscope. The endoscope consists patient side manipulator the da Vinci Research Kit platform working as an end-effector. To automate endoscope, kinematic modeling for servoing conducted, leading quadratic programming (QP) framework incorporating physical constraints solve QP problem realize vision-based control, RNN finite-time convergence by...

Strokes cause severe impairment of hand function because the spasticity in affected upper extremities. Proper evaluation is critical to facilitate neural plasticity for rehabilitation after stroke. However, existing methods measuring spasticity, e.g. Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), highly depends on clinicians' experiences, which are subjective and lacks quantitative details. Here, we introduce first actuator that objectively reflects condition post-stroke finger spasticity. The 3D printed...