Parallel continuum manipulators - Balancing structure dependent drawbacks by combining parallel and continuum robots

本项目的目的是研究并联连续体机器人--一种基于并联机器人和连续体机器人共生的新型机器人。这项研究是基于这样的假设，即具有连续运动链的并联机器人表现出比经典并联机器人更大的工作空间和更高的灵巧度，而在没有奇异点的工作空间中表现出相同的性能。由于精细的连续链是平行排列的，与串联连续统机器人相比，机械手能够以较低的重量承受更高的力。在第一步中，必须从概念上开发潜在的并行连续统结构，并使用通用符号进行分类。在第二步中，基于运动学的数学模型确定用于量化并联连续体机械手性能的特征和参数。从这种基于模型的假设证明中推导出了并联连续体机器人的概念类，并最终建立了操作原型来验证其可行性。

The aim of this project is the investigation of parallel continuum manipulators - a novel category of robots based on the symbiosis of parallel and continuum robots. This research is based on the hypothesis that parallel robot with continuous kinematic chains exhibit a larger workspace with higher dexterity than classic parallel robots and a homogeneous performance in a singularity free workspace. As delicate continuous chains are arranged in parallel, the manipulator can withstand higher forces at a low weight in comparison to serial continuum robots.In a first step, potential parallel continuum structures have to be conceptually developed and classified with a general notation. In a second step, characteristics and parameters to quantify the performance of parallel continuum manipulators are determined based on a mathematical model of the kinematics. Conceptual classes of parallel continuum manipulators are derived from this model-based hypothesis proof which are finally built as operational prototypes to demonstrate feasibility.