Design and Analysis of a Yoshimura Continuum Actuator

Origami has been applied in robotic design thanks to its lightweight structures and versatile applications. In this paper, we propose and analyze a novel cable-driven Yoshimura continuum actuator. The origami module inspired by the Yoshimura pattern can bend and contract under the actuation of the cable. In addition, we analyze the kinematics of the Yoshimura continuum actuator using the assumption of constant curvature. Based on the kinematic model, a scheme of closed-loop control is designed and validated using the motion capture system. The results show that the kinematic model can predict the tip position of the actuator with the error of 2.14 mm and 3.51mm when following a spiral and a square trajectory. The Yoshimura continuum actuator can track spiral and square trajectories with an error of 1.92 mm and 2.93 mm by the aid of the control method, demonstrating reductions of 10.3% and 16.5% for the average tracking errors. It demonstrates the Yoshimura continuum actuator has the potential to achieve versatile movement.