A New Geometric Method for Solving the Inverse Kinematics of Two-Segment Continuum Robot

AbstractThe inverse kinematics (IK) of continuum robot (CR) is an important factor to guarantee motion accuracy. How to construct a concise IK model is very essential for the real-time control of CR. A new geometric algorithm for solving the IK of CR is proposed in this paper. Based on Piecewise Constant Curvature (PCC) model, the kinematics model of CR is constructed and the envelope surface of the single segment is calculated. The IK of CR is obtained by solving the intersection of surfaces. The spatial problem is transformed into a plane using a set of parallel planes, and the intersection is solved using the k-means clustering algorithm. The algorithm's real-time performance and applicability are improved further by increasing the sampling rate and decreasing the range of included angles. A distinct sequence is designed for solving the IK of CR. The efficiency and effectiveness of geometric are validated in comparison to some of the most popular IK algorithms. Finally, the accuracy of the algorithm is further validated by a physical prototype experiment.KeywordsContinuum robotConstant curvature modelInverse kinematicsGeometric method