Unconstrained and Constrained Control for a Tentacle Manipulator

The control problem of the spatial tentacle manipulator is presented. In order to avoid the difficulties generated by the complexity of the nonlinear integral - differential model, the control problem is based by the artificial potential method. It is shown that the control of a tentacle robot to a desired position it is possible if the artificial potential is a potential functional whose point of minimum is attractor of this dissipative controlled system. Then, the method is used for constrained motion in an environment with obstacles. Numerical simulations for spatial and planar tentacle models are presented in order to illustrate the efficiency of the method.Copyright © 2004 by ASME