Kinematic model and inverse control for continuum manipulators

Continuum manipulators have virtually infinite degrees of freedom (DOF) and are therefore capable of highly dexterous motions. This paper studies the forward and inverse kinematic problems for these types of manipulators. The presented kinematic model utilizes multiple serially connected segments to mimic the continuum morphology. A spline interpolation method is used to generate the backbone curve of the manipulator, and an inverse control strategy is developed to relate the manipulator position and orientation to actuator inputs. A robotic continuum manipulator using pneumatic muscle actuators (PMA) is then constructed to evaluate the model and control strategy. Simulation and experiment results show that the presented methods are able to control the continuum manipulator to perform some stereotyped motions.