Continuum Robots for Multi-Scale Manipulation

该项目将展示一类能够进行多尺度操纵的新型连续体机器人，即能够以毫米级精度实现大运动，并以微米级精度实现小运动。现有的机器人通常被设计成仅在单个操作长度尺度下正常工作。设想的机器人类别将提供微精度，同时穿过宏观尺度的蜿蜒路径进入手术部位，从而实现显微手术的新技术，例如基于图像的活检（高分辨率组织检查）和深部手术领域的显微手术。潜在的益处包括精确的组织重建和肿瘤的完全手术根除。这种机器人也将使新的能力，微制造，导致大大提高质量控制检测方法的微流体和微机电设备大规模制造的大型substrate.The研究的目标是提供建模和控制框架的新型并联连续体机器人的多尺度操作，基于平衡调制的概念。这些机器人将使用其链接的直接致动来实现具有宏观（毫米级）精度的大工作空间，以及间接致动来扰动连续体机器人的平衡姿态以实现微小（微米级）运动。这个概念不同于现有的多尺度操作方法，它提供了一个能够进行微观和宏观操作的机器人架构。建模方法将提供一个配方支持校准，系统识别和控制。该项目将使用直接变分方法对这些机器人的静态和运动学进行建模，并使用支持向量回归机建立微运动建模和参数识别框架，以克服摩擦和参数不确定性。光学相干断层扫描（OCT）作为微观检查的手段，以及使用混合关节空间和OCT反馈的控制反馈方法将用于实现目标检查部位的半自动扫描。

This project will demonstrate a new class of continuum robots capable of multi-scale manipulation, that is, the ability to achieve large motion with millimetric precision and to achieve small motion with micrometer-scale precision. Existing robots are typically designed to function properly only at a single operational length scale. The envisioned class of robots will provide micro-precision while traversing macroscale sinuous pathways to access the operational site, thus enabling new technologies for micro-surgery, such as image-based biopsy (high resolution tissue inspection), and micro-surgery in deep surgical fields. Potential benefits include precise tissue reconstruction and complete surgical eradication of tumors. Such robots will also enable new abilities for micro-manufacturing, leading to greatly improved quality-control inspection methods for micro-fluidic and microelectromechanical devices mass-manufactured on large substrates.The goal of this research is to provide modeling and control frameworks for new types of parallel continuum robots for multi-scale manipulation, based on the concept of equilibrium modulation. These robots will use direct actuation of their links to achieve large workspace with macro (millimetric scale) precision and indirect-actuation to perturb the equilibrium pose of the continuum robot to achieve minute (micrometer scale) motions. This concept differs from existing approaches for multi-scale manipulation by offering one robotic architecture capable of both micro and macro manipulation. The modeling approach will provide a formulation supporting calibration, system identification and control. This project will use a direct variational approach for modeling the statics and kinematics of these robots, and a framework for micro-motion modeling and parameter identification using support vector regressors to overcome friction and parameter uncertainties. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a means for micro-inspection, and control feedback approaches using mixed joint-space and OCT feedback will be used to enable semi-automated scans of the target inspection site.