Publications

@article{Boettcher2021,
title = {Design of a Reconfigurable Parallel Continuum Robot with Tendon-Actuated Kinematic Chains},
author = {Georg Böttcher and Sven Lilge and Jessica Burgner-Kahrs},
doi = {10.1109/LRA.2021.3057557},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-02-05},
journal = {IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters},
volume = {6},
number = {2},
pages = {1272 - 1279},
abstract = {In this work, a novel spatial parallel continuum robot is proposed. It is composed of three tendon-actuated continuum robots as kinematic chains that are coupled at a common end-effector platform by spherical joints. A modular design approach is used, allowing the reconfiguration of each continuum robot's base position and orientation to adapt the overall structure to application specific constraints and environments. The parallel continuum robot is evaluated in terms of its position and orientation repeatability. Furthermore, comparisons are made to the performance of the single continuum kinematic chains. Overall, average position and orientation repeatabilities of 3.3 mm and 1.2 can be achieved for the parallel continuum robot, with a single individual continuum segment showing repeatabilities of 5.5 mm and 3.2. The proposed parallel continuum robot exhibits improved repeatabilities than each of the employed individual continuum segments, improving the average repeatability by 67% for position and 167% for orientation, respectively.},
keywords = {collaborating continuum robots, design, parallel continuum robot, tendon-driven continuum robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

@article{Lilge2020,
title = {Tendon Actuated Continuous Structures in Planar Parallel Robots: A Kinematic Analysis},
author = {Sven Lilge and Kathrin Nuelle and Georg Böttcher and Svenja Spindeldreier and Jessica Burgner-Kahrs},
doi = {10.1115/1.4049058},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-11-07},
journal = {ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics},
volume = {13},
number = {1},
pages = {011025 (11 pages)},
abstract = {The use of continuous and flexible structures instead of rigid links and discrete joints is a growing field of robotics research. Recent work focuses on the inclusion of continuous segments in parallel robots to benefit from their structural advantages, such as a high dexterity and compliance. While some applications and designs of these novel parallel continuum robots have been presented, the field remains largely unexplored. Furthermore, an exact quantification of the kinematic advantages and disadvantages when using continuous structures in parallel robots is yet to be performed. In this paper, planar parallel robot designs using tendon actuated continuum robots instead of rigid links and discrete joints are proposed. Using the well known 3-RRR manipulator as a reference design, two parallel continuum robots are derived. Inverse and differential kinematics of these designs are modeled using constant curvature assumptions, which can be adapted for other actuation mechanisms than tendons. Their kinematic performances are compared to the conventional parallel robot counterpart. On the basis of this comparison, the advantages and disadvantages of using continuous structures in parallel robots are quantified and analyzed. Results show that parallel continuum robot can be kinematic equivalent and exhibit similar kinematic performances in comparison to conventional parallel robots depending on the chosen design.},
keywords = {design, modeling, parallel continuum robot, tendon actuated, tendon-driven continuum robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

@article{Nuelle2020,
title = {Modeling, Calibration, and Evaluation of a Planar Parallel Continuum Robot based on Tendon Actuation},
author = {Kathrin Nuelle and Tim Sterneck and Sven Lilge and Dhezu Xiong and Jessica Burgner-Kahrs and Tobias Ortmaier},
doi = {10.1109/LRA.2020.3010213},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-07-17},
journal = {IEEE Robotics & Automation Letter},
volume = {5},
number = {4},
pages = {5811 - 5818},
abstract = {In this work, a novel planar parallel continuum robot (PCR) is introduced, consisting of three kinematic chains that are coupled at a triangular end-effector platform and include tendon-actuated continuum segments. The kinematics of the resulting structure are derived by adapting the descriptions for conventional planar parallel manipulators to include constant curvature bending of the utilized continuous segments. To account for friction and non-linear material effects, a data-driven model is used to relate tendon displacements and curvature of the utilized continuum segments. A calibration of the derived kinematic model is conducted to specifically represent the constructed prototype. This includes the calibration of geometric parameters for each kinematic chain and for the end-effector platform. During evaluation, positioning repeatability of 1.0% in relation to one continuum segment length of the robot, and positioning accuracy of 1.4%, are achieved. These results are comparable to commonly used kineto-static modeling approaches for PCR. The presented model achieves high path accuracies regarding the robot's end-effector pose in an open-loop control scenario.},
keywords = {calibration, control, design, modeling, parallel continuum robot, tendon actuated, tendon-driven continuum robots},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}