Rope-driven soft continuum robot deformation recovery method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of robots, and particularly discloses a rope-driven soft continuum robot deformation recovery method which comprises the following steps: S1) based on a target motion instruction, a rope driving mechanism is controlled to carry out cooperative adjustment on a plurality of driving ropes, so that a soft continuum body completes target bending deformation; (S2) after the target bending deformation is completed, a rope driving mechanism is controlled to execute releasing or retreating of a driving rope, and the robot is made to enter a reset preparation state; s3) current is applied to the shape memory alloy elastic element for Joule heating, so that the shape memory alloy elastic element generates contraction restoring force, and the soft continuum body is driven to return to the preset reference configuration; (S4) after the soft continuum body returns to the reference configuration, accelerated cooling is conducted on the shape memory alloy elastic element through controlled gas flow, and (S5) the steps (S1) to (S4) are cyclically executed. According to the rope-driven soft continuum robot deformation recovery method, reset consistency and repeated motion precision are high under long-term repeated actions, and the method is suitable for long-period repeated tasks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, specifically to a method for deformation recovery of a rope-driven soft continuum robot. Background Technology

[0002] Rope-driven soft continuum robots possess high compliance and high degrees of freedom, making them suitable for safe operation in confined, unstructured environments. However, soft materials generally exhibit viscoelasticity, hysteresis, and creep effects, leading to residual deformation that gradually accumulates during repetitive bending-reset cycles. This manifests as "initial posture drift after each reset," thereby reducing the accuracy of repetitive motion and the reliability of long-term tasks. Existing compensation methods often rely on complex model control, learning control, or external high-precision sensor feedback, which frequently increases system complexity, cost, and deployment barriers. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a simpler, easier-to-engineer, and less dependent-on-external-sensing method for high-repetitive-accuracy deformation recovery. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot, which has high reset consistency and repeatability accuracy under long-term repetitive motion, and is suitable for long-cycle repetitive tasks.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot, comprising the following steps: S1) Based on the target motion command, the control rope drive mechanism coordinates the adjustment of multiple drive ropes to enable the soft continuum body to complete the target bending deformation. S2) After the target bending deformation is completed, the control rope drive mechanism executes the release or retraction of the drive rope, so that the robot enters the reset preparation state. S3) Apply an electric current to the shape memory alloy elastic element to perform Joule heating, so that it generates a contraction recovery force, thereby driving the soft continuum body back to the preset reference configuration; S4) After the soft continuum body returns to the reference configuration, the shape memory alloy elastic element is accelerated cooled by a controlled gas flow. S5) Repeat steps S1) to S4).

[0005] In the deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the release or retraction of the drive rope in step S2) includes: reducing the tension of the drive rope to below a preset threshold, or retracting the length of the drive rope to a reference length range, so as to reduce the interference of the residual force of the rope drive on the recovery process of the shape memory alloy elastic element.

[0006] In the deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the heating control of the shape memory alloy elastic element in step S3) adopts a constant current or constant power strategy, and the heating duration is determined based on one or more of the following conditions: the soft continuum body recovers to the reference configuration, the driving rope length recovers to the reference value, or the shape memory alloy elastic element reaches a preset temperature.

[0007] In the deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the controlled gas flow in step S4) is compressed air, which is covered on the shape memory alloy elastic element through a flow channel, and the compressed air is finally discharged through an exhaust channel.

[0008] In the deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot provided in at least one embodiment of this disclosure, the target motion command in step S1) is mapped to the length change of each driving rope through a kinematic model with constant curvature or segmented constant curvature; for a multi-segment serial robot structure, the length of the driving rope of the distal segment is coupled and compensated to offset the additional length change caused by the bending of the proximal segment.

[0009] Secondly, the present invention also provides a non-transient tangible storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein when the computer executes the computer, the computer executes the above-described deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot.

[0010] Thirdly, the present invention also provides a rope-driven soft continuum robot with a deformation recovery mechanism, including a soft continuum body, a rope drive mechanism, a shape memory alloy elastic element, a gas cooling channel, a gas supply component, and a control device.

[0011] The rope drive mechanism has multiple drive ropes, all of which are connected to the soft continuum body. The rope drive mechanism is used to drive the robot to produce bending deformation.

[0012] The shape memory alloy elastic element is used to generate a shrinkage recovery force when heated by electricity.

[0013] The gas cooling channel is disposed within the soft continuum body, and the shape memory alloy elastic element is disposed within the gas cooling channel. The gas cooling channel is used to guide airflow to cover the shape memory alloy elastic element to accelerate its heat dissipation.

[0014] The gas supply assembly is used to provide cold air to the gas cooling channel.

[0015] The rope drive mechanism, shape memory alloy elastic element, gas cooling channel and gas supply assembly are all electrically connected to the control device, and the control device controls each component according to the above-mentioned rope-driven soft continuum robot deformation recovery method.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. This invention specifically addresses the precision degradation caused by creep in flexible materials. By utilizing the active, forced restoring force provided by shape memory alloy components, it directly counteracts and corrects residual deformation resulting from material creep, ensuring the long-term stability of the baseline configuration from a physical mechanism perspective. An embedded active deformation recovery mechanism has been implemented in a rope-driven soft continuum robot, enabling it to possess "physical intelligence" for autonomous precision correction at the physical level. This significantly enhances the system's fundamental performance and robustness, representing a significant paradigm shift in soft robotics from reliance on control compensation to on-body intelligent design.

[0017] 2. It achieves synergy between drive and recovery, reducing system complexity. By embedding the active recovery function into the robot body, and through the coordinated process of "rope-driven motion completion - rope release to release constraints - shape memory alloy active reset", it reduces or even avoids the dependence on complex creep compensation algorithms and high-precision external pose sensors, simplifies the control system, and improves engineering usability.

[0018] 3. Improved work efficiency and reliability. The introduction of an active gas flow cooling mechanism significantly shortens the thermal recovery time of shape memory alloy components, enabling the entire "motion-recovery" cycle to proceed faster and increasing the robot's task execution frequency. Simultaneously, the embedded recovery mechanism operates reliably, enhancing the robot's stability in long-cycle repetitive tasks. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a rope-driven soft continuum robot with a deformation recovery mechanism according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a rope-driven soft continuum robot with a deformation recovery mechanism according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing the component connections of a rope-driven soft continuum robot with a deformation recovery mechanism according to the present invention.

[0024] In the picture: 10. Soft continuum body; 20. Rope drive mechanism; 21. Drive rope; 30. Shape memory alloy elastic element; 40. Control device; 50. Air supply assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions in the embodiments will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments, not all embodiments.

[0026] Example 1 like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot, including the following steps: S1) Based on the target motion command, the control rope drive mechanism coordinates the adjustment of multiple drive ropes to enable the soft continuum body to complete the target bending deformation. S2) After the target bending deformation is completed, the control rope drive mechanism executes the release or retraction of the drive rope, so that the robot enters the reset preparation state. S3) Apply an electric current to the shape memory alloy elastic element to perform Joule heating, so that it generates a contraction recovery force, thereby driving the soft continuum body back to the preset reference configuration; S4) After the soft continuum body returns to the reference configuration, the shape memory alloy elastic element is accelerated cooled by a controlled gas flow. S5) Repeat steps S1) to S4).

[0027] In this embodiment, the release or retraction of the drive rope in step S2) includes: reducing the tension of the drive rope to below a preset threshold, or retracting the length of the drive rope to a reference length range, so as to reduce the interference of the residual force of the rope drive on the recovery process of the shape memory alloy elastic element.

[0028] In this embodiment, the heating control of the shape memory alloy elastic element in step S3) adopts a constant current or constant power strategy, and the heating duration is determined based on one or more of the following conditions: the soft continuum body recovers to the reference configuration, the drive rope length recovers to the reference value, or the shape memory alloy elastic element reaches the preset temperature.

[0029] In this embodiment, the controlled gas flow in step S4) is compressed air. The compressed air is covered on the shape memory alloy elastic element through the flow channel, and the compressed air is finally discharged through the exhaust channel.

[0030] In this embodiment, the target motion command in step S1) is mapped to the length change of each drive rope through a constant curvature or segmented constant curvature kinematic model; for a multi-segment serial robot structure, the length of the drive rope of the distal segment is coupled and compensated to offset the additional length change caused by the bending of the proximal segment.

[0031] Example 2 like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides a rope-driven soft continuum robot with a deformation recovery mechanism, including a soft continuum body 10, a rope drive mechanism 20, a shape memory alloy elastic element 30, a gas cooling channel (not shown), a gas supply assembly 50, and a control device 40.

[0032] The rope drive mechanism 20 has multiple drive ropes 21, all of which are connected to the soft continuum body 10. The rope drive mechanism 20 is used to drive the robot to produce bending deformation.

[0033] The shape memory alloy elastic element 30 is used to generate a shrinkage recovery force when heated by electricity.

[0034] A gas cooling channel is disposed within the soft continuum body 10, and a shape memory alloy elastic element 30 is disposed within the gas cooling channel. The gas cooling channel is used to guide airflow to cover the shape memory alloy elastic element 30 to accelerate its heat dissipation.

[0035] The gas supply assembly 50 is used to supply cold air to the gas cooling channel.

[0036] The rope drive mechanism 20, the shape memory alloy elastic element 30, the gas cooling channel and the gas supply assembly 50 are all electrically connected to the control device, which controls each component according to the method in Example 1.

[0037] Example 3 This embodiment provides a computer storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is run on a terminal device, the terminal device can execute the deformation recovery method for the rope-driven soft continuum robot in Embodiment 1.

[0038] If the method of the present invention is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in the computer storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer storage medium can include: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code, a recording medium, a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and a software distribution medium, etc.

[0039] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the present invention can be implemented by means of software plus necessary hardware platform. Based on this understanding, all or part of the technical solution of the present invention that contributes to the background technology can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product can be stored in a storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., including several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0040] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, the scope of protection of this invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be conceived without inventive effort should be covered within the scope of protection of this invention. Unless expressly stated otherwise, no element, action or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or necessary.

Claims

1. A method for deformation recovery of a rope-driven soft continuum robot, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1) Based on the target motion command, the control rope drive mechanism coordinates the adjustment of multiple drive ropes to enable the soft continuum body to complete the target bending deformation. S2) After the target bending deformation is completed, the control rope drive mechanism executes the release or retraction of the drive rope, so that the robot enters the reset preparation state. S3) Apply an electric current to the shape memory alloy elastic element to perform Joule heating, so that it generates a contraction recovery force, thereby driving the soft continuum body back to the preset reference configuration; S4) After the soft continuum body returns to the reference configuration, the shape memory alloy elastic element is accelerated cooled by a controlled gas flow. S5) Repeat steps S1) to S4).

2. The deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The release or retraction of the drive rope in step S2) includes: reducing the tension of the drive rope to below a preset threshold, or retracting the length of the drive rope to a reference length range, so as to reduce the interference of the residual force of the rope drive on the recovery process of the shape memory alloy elastic element.

3. The deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, In step S3), the heating control of the shape memory alloy elastic element adopts a constant current or constant power strategy. The heating duration is determined based on one or more of the following conditions: the soft continuum body recovers to the reference configuration, the drive rope length recovers to the reference value, or the shape memory alloy elastic element reaches the preset temperature.

4. The deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controlled gas flow in step S4) is compressed air. The compressed air is covered on the shape memory alloy elastic element through the flow channel, and the compressed air is finally discharged through the exhaust channel.

5. The deformation recovery method for a rope-driven soft continuum robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The target motion command in step S1) is mapped to the length change of each drive rope through a kinematic model with constant curvature or segmented constant curvature. For a multi-segment serial robot structure, the length of the drive rope of the distal segment is coupled and compensated to offset the additional length change caused by the bending of the proximal segment.

6. A non-transient tangible storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer-executable instructions are executed by a computer, they cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A rope-driven soft continuum robot with a deformation recovery mechanism, characterized in that, include: Soft continuum body, rope drive mechanism, shape memory alloy elastic element, gas cooling channel, gas supply assembly and control device; The rope drive mechanism has multiple drive ropes, all of which are connected to the soft continuum body. The rope drive mechanism is used to drive the robot to produce bending deformation. The shape memory alloy elastic element is used to generate a shrinkage recovery force when electrically heated; The gas cooling channel is disposed within the soft continuum body, and the shape memory alloy elastic element is disposed within the gas cooling channel. The gas cooling channel is used to guide airflow to cover the shape memory alloy elastic element to accelerate its heat dissipation. The gas supply assembly is used to provide cold air to the gas cooling channel; The rope drive mechanism, shape memory alloy elastic element, gas cooling channel and gas supply assembly are all electrically connected to the control device, which performs the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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