High-performance image-guided continuum robots

传统的机器人机械手与有限数量的串联连接的刚性连杆没有成功地解决复杂的任务，在非结构化和受限的环境。例子包括许多微创手术应用，在密闭环境中的搜索和救援行动，以及核和航空航天工业中的各种维护操作。或者，连续体机器人（CR）已被提出，由于其“连续的骨干结构”，目前的“兼容”的环境接口。因此，CR提供了许多优势，传统的机械手，如成本较低，安全的可操作性在有限的环境中，并适应环境接触条件的变化。因此，CR预计将对机器人在各个领域的成本和适用性产生重大影响。然而，对自主CR的研究是相当新的，许多问题仍有待解决，以克服其缺点，如刚度低，有效载荷小，精度低，可操作性差，往往有限的工作空间和灵活性。

Conventional robotic manipulators with finite-number of serially-connected rigid links have not been successful in tackling complex tasks in unstructured and confined environments. Examples include many minimally-invasive surgery applications, search and rescue operations in confined environments, and various maintenance operations in nuclear and aerospace industries. Alternatively, continuum robots (CRs) have been proposed that, due to their “continuous backbone structures,” present a “compliant” interface to the environment. Thus CRs offer a number of advantages over traditional manipulators, such as lower cost, safe maneuverability in confined environments, and adaptability to variations in environmental contact conditions. Therefore, CRs are expected to have a significant impact on the cost and applicability of robots in various domains. However, research on autonomous CRs is fairly new and many issues remain to be addressed to overcome their shortcomings, such as low stiffness, small payload, low accuracy, poor manipulability, and often limited workspace and dexterity.