586 research outputs found
Visual Servoing Control of Soft Robots based on Finite Element Model
International audienceIn this paper, we propose a strategy for the control of soft robots with visual tracking and simulation-based predictor. A kinematic model of soft robots is obtained thanks to the Finite Element Method (FEM) computed in real-time. The FEM allows to obtain a prediction of the Jacobian matrix of the robot. This allows a first control of the robot, in the actuator space. Then, a second control strategy based on the feedback of infrared cameras is developed to obtain a correction of the effector position. The robust stability of this closed-loop system is obtained based on Lyapunov stability theory. Otherwise, to deal with the problem of image features (the marker points placed on the end effector of soft robot) loss, a switched control strategy is proposed to combine both the open-loop controller and the closed-loop controller. Finally, experiments on a parallel soft robot driven by four cables are conducted and show the effectiveness of these methods for the real-time control of soft robots
Design of a Lightweight and Deployable Soft Robotic Arm
Soft robotics represents a rising trend in recent years, due to the ability to work in unstructured environments or in strict contact with humans. Introducing soft parts, robots can adapt to various contexts overcoming limits relative to the rigid structure of traditional ones. Main issues of soft robotics systems concern the relatively low force exertion and control complexity. Moreover, several fields of application, as space industry, need to develop novel lightweight and deployable robotic systems, that can be stored into a relatively small volume and deployed when required. In this paper, POPUP robot is introduced: a soft manipulator having inflatable links and rigid joints. Its hybrid structure aims to match the advantages of rigid robots and the useful properties of having a lightweight and deployable parts, ensuring simple control, low energy consumption and low compressed gas requirement. The first robot prototype and the system architecture are described highlighting design criteria and effect of internal pressure on the performances. A pseudo-rigid body model is used to describe the behavior of inflatable links looking forward to control design. Finally, the model is extended to the whole robot: multi-body simulations are performed to highlight the importance of suitable sensor equipment for control development, proposing a visual servoing solution
Medical image computing and computer-aided medical interventions applied to soft tissues. Work in progress in urology
Until recently, Computer-Aided Medical Interventions (CAMI) and Medical
Robotics have focused on rigid and non deformable anatomical structures.
Nowadays, special attention is paid to soft tissues, raising complex issues due
to their mobility and deformation. Mini-invasive digestive surgery was probably
one of the first fields where soft tissues were handled through the development
of simulators, tracking of anatomical structures and specific assistance
robots. However, other clinical domains, for instance urology, are concerned.
Indeed, laparoscopic surgery, new tumour destruction techniques (e.g. HIFU,
radiofrequency, or cryoablation), increasingly early detection of cancer, and
use of interventional and diagnostic imaging modalities, recently opened new
challenges to the urologist and scientists involved in CAMI. This resulted in
the last five years in a very significant increase of research and developments
of computer-aided urology systems. In this paper, we propose a description of
the main problems related to computer-aided diagnostic and therapy of soft
tissues and give a survey of the different types of assistance offered to the
urologist: robotization, image fusion, surgical navigation. Both research
projects and operational industrial systems are discussed
Pose-Based Tactile Servoing: Controlled Soft Touch using Deep Learning
This article describes a new way of controlling robots using soft tactile
sensors: pose-based tactile servo (PBTS) control. The basic idea is to embed a
tactile perception model for estimating the sensor pose within a servo control
loop that is applied to local object features such as edges and surfaces. PBTS
control is implemented with a soft curved optical tactile sensor (the BRL
TacTip) using a convolutional neural network trained to be insensitive to
shear. In consequence, robust and accurate controlled motion over various
complex 3D objects is attained. First, we review tactile servoing and its
relation to visual servoing, before formalising PBTS control. Then, we assess
tactile servoing over a range of regular and irregular objects. Finally, we
reflect on the relation to visual servo control and discuss how controlled soft
touch gives a route towards human-like dexterity in robots.Comment: A summary video is available here https://youtu.be/12-DJeRcfn0 *NL
and JL contributed equally to this wor
Model Based Control of Soft Robots: A Survey of the State of the Art and Open Challenges
Continuum soft robots are mechanical systems entirely made of continuously
deformable elements. This design solution aims to bring robots closer to
invertebrate animals and soft appendices of vertebrate animals (e.g., an
elephant's trunk, a monkey's tail). This work aims to introduce the control
theorist perspective to this novel development in robotics. We aim to remove
the barriers to entry into this field by presenting existing results and future
challenges using a unified language and within a coherent framework. Indeed,
the main difficulty in entering this field is the wide variability of
terminology and scientific backgrounds, making it quite hard to acquire a
comprehensive view on the topic. Another limiting factor is that it is not
obvious where to draw a clear line between the limitations imposed by the
technology not being mature yet and the challenges intrinsic to this class of
robots. In this work, we argue that the intrinsic effects are the continuum or
multi-body dynamics, the presence of a non-negligible elastic potential field,
and the variability in sensing and actuation strategies.Comment: 69 pages, 13 figure
Autonomous Tissue Scanning under Free-Form Motion for Intraoperative Tissue Characterisation
In Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), tissue scanning with imaging probes is
required for subsurface visualisation to characterise the state of the tissue.
However, scanning of large tissue surfaces in the presence of deformation is a
challenging task for the surgeon. Recently, robot-assisted local tissue
scanning has been investigated for motion stabilisation of imaging probes to
facilitate the capturing of good quality images and reduce the surgeon's
cognitive load. Nonetheless, these approaches require the tissue surface to be
static or deform with periodic motion. To eliminate these assumptions, we
propose a visual servoing framework for autonomous tissue scanning, able to
deal with free-form tissue deformation. The 3D structure of the surgical scene
is recovered and a feature-based method is proposed to estimate the motion of
the tissue in real-time. A desired scanning trajectory is manually defined on a
reference frame and continuously updated using projective geometry to follow
the tissue motion and control the movement of the robotic arm. The advantage of
the proposed method is that it does not require the learning of the tissue
motion prior to scanning and can deal with free-form deformation. We deployed
this framework on the da Vinci surgical robot using the da Vinci Research Kit
(dVRK) for Ultrasound tissue scanning. Since the framework does not rely on
information from the Ultrasound data, it can be easily extended to other
probe-based imaging modalities.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, ICRA 202
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