Micrometer Positioning Accuracy With a Planar Parallel Continuum Robot.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Control Systems

Background:

• Parallel Continuum Robots (PCR) offer advantages like large workspaces and safe human-robot interaction.
• However, low accuracy remains a significant limitation for their widespread application.
• Achieving high accuracy requires a repeatable mechanical structure, accurate kinematic models, and precise parameter estimation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a methodology for achieving micrometer-level accuracy in Parallel Continuum Robots (PCR).
• To address the critical need for enhanced precision in continuum robot applications.

Main Methods:

• Developing a repeatable continuum mechanism.
• Identifying and precisely measuring the most influential parameters for an accurate robot kinematic model.
• Implementing a systematic approach to parameter estimation and model refinement.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated micrometer accuracy in position (3.3 µm) and orientation (0.5 mrad) over a 10 mm circular path.
• Validated the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in significantly improving PCR precision.
• Achieved accuracy levels that push the current performance boundaries for continuum robots.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methodology enables Parallel Continuum Robots to reach unprecedented levels of accuracy.
• These highly accurate PCRs are promising for advanced automatic positioning tasks requiring micrometer precision.
• This work overcomes a major drawback of PCRs, expanding their potential applications.