Variational Analysis of Snakelike Robots

摘要: Snakelike robots have been employed in applications ranging from search-and-rescue to minimally invasive surgical procedures, and may yet find new maintaining civil infrastructure the repair of satellites. This chapter reviews how variational methods used previously analyze three classes snakelike robots: (1) hyper-redundant manipulators guided by backbone curves; (2) flexible steerable needles; (3) concentric tube continuum robots. Both coordinate-dependent Euler-Lagrange formulations coordinate-free Euler- Poincare approaches are discussed. Variational context constrain degrees freedom provide a means redundancy resolution. In contrast, for nonholonomic needles, which fewer actuatable than those task space, generate optimal open-loop plans needle follow, model needle-tissue interactions. For robots, determine equilibrium conformations dictated principles elastic mechanics. therefore illustrates example natural tool analysis planning various kinds