Junfeng Hu and Jialiang Wang
Continuum manipulator, stiffness variation, kirigami mechanism, multi-morphing, reconfigurable mechanisms
The continuum manipulator showcases exceptional flexibility, remarkable maneuverability, and notable redundancy features, including residual degrees of freedom. It possesses the capability to deform itself for operation in intricate environments. However, achieving the reconfigurable multi-modal motion pattern of the con- tinuum manipulator while operating in complex surroundings poses a significant challenge. In this paper, we construct a reconfigurable continuous manipulator with multiple motion forms by harnessing the mechanical polymorphism of a kirigami structure. We propose a kirigami module that exhibits three types of motion transformations. When folded into various states, the kirigami module displays distinct motion forms. We analyse how changes in module structure parameters influence alterations in motion patterns, providing a foundation for harnessing the multi-mode motion pattern change of the module effectively. Furthermore, we propose a reconfigurable continuum manipulator composed of multiple modules and create a prototype to showcase its versatile multi-modal motion changes. This adaptable motion mode can be effectively applied in diverse complex environments, demonstrating excellent polymorphism and flexibility while paving the way for future applications of continuum robots in challenging unstructured settings.
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