Continuum Robots for Multi-Scale Manipulation

本项目将展示一种能够进行多尺度操作的新型连续体机器人，即能够实现毫米级精度的大运动和微米级精度的小运动的能力。现有的机器人通常被设计成只能在单一的操作长度范围内正常工作。设想的机器人将在穿越宏观曲折路径访问手术现场时提供微精度，从而使基于图像的活检(高分辨率组织检查)和深部外科领域的显微手术等新技术成为可能。潜在的好处包括精确的组织重建和完全的外科手术根除肿瘤。这类机器人还将为微制造提供新的能力，使大规模生产的微流体和微电子机械器件的质量控制检测方法得到极大改进。本研究的目标是基于平衡调制的概念，为用于多尺度操作的新型并联连续体机器人提供建模和控制框架。这些机器人将利用其连杆的直接驱动来获得具有宏观(毫米级)精度的大工作空间，并通过间接驱动来扰动连续体机器人的平衡位姿以实现微小(微米级)运动。这一概念不同于现有的多尺度操作方法，它提供了一种能够同时进行微观和宏观操作的机器人体系结构。该建模方法将提供支持标定、系统辨识和控制的公式。该项目将使用直接变分方法对这些机器人的静力学和运动学进行建模，并使用支持向量回归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。将使用光学相干层析成像(OCT)作为微观检查的手段，以及使用联合空间和OCT反馈的混合控制反馈方法，以实现对目标检查地点的半自动扫描。

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.