Position control for hybrid infinite-continuous hyper-redundant robot

Abstract

This paper presents a new conception and analyzes a hyperredundant continuous robot (continuous style manipulator), drive system, and control strategy. The robot includes ten flexible segments and can be extended to several components as needed. The chosen hyper-redundant robot has a continuous infinite hybrid structure (HHRIC), based on hydraulic control with a rheological element. This system combines the advantage of a joint-level drive with a lightweight construction similar to the base-driven robots. It is suitable for tasks such as wiring in hard-toreach areas (caves, subaccounts, steep areas), transportation of fluids or food to areas affected by natural disasters (people buried under ruins), exploration in difficult areas (speleological research). Generally, the control algorithms for hyper-redundant robots are specific to the robots’ constructive particularities to which they have applied and the environment in which they operate. Experimental results validate the proposal robot design and control strategies in virtual reality. As a result, it is concluded that hyper-redundant robots and immersive technologies should play an essential role soon in automated and teleoperation applications.