Simultaneous Locomotion with Stiffness Perception of an Earthworm-Like Robot in a Soft Tubular Environment

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Biomimetic Engineering
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Robots face challenges in soft tubular environments due to instability and potential tissue damage.
• Existing methods lack simultaneous locomotion and stiffness perception capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a real-time stiffness perception system for soft tubular environments.
• To enable simultaneous locomotion and detection using an earthworm-like movement strategy.

Main Methods:

• A soft robot with a central actuator (CA) and auxiliary anchoring actuators (FAA, RAA) was designed.
• The front auxiliary actuator (FAA) incorporates a stiffness perception mechanism.
• Analytical modeling and experimental validation were performed for locomotion and perception.

Main Results:

• The robot successfully achieved locomotion in soft tubular environments.
• Accurate stiffness perception of the tubular environment was demonstrated.
• The system was validated in tubes with varying elastic moduli and wall thicknesses.

Conclusions:

• The proposed robot system effectively integrates locomotion and stiffness detection.
• This technology shows significant potential for medical diagnostics and other relevant fields.
• The earthworm-like movement strategy proves efficient for soft tubular navigation and sensing.