Refining Mechanism

Soft Robotic Mechanism for Canceling Tension Interference via Helical Steering Wire Arrangement

This technology utilizes two groups of steering wires arranged in helical patterns in opposite directions along the backbone of a soft robot. By alternating the distance of each wire from the backbone's center, it cancels out unintended tension interference caused by wire length changes during backbone bending.

In soft mechanisms, relative displacement between the steering wires and the backbone during bending often leads to unintended tension on the end-effector, resulting in reduced steering precision.

This technology features steering wire groups with opposing helical structures placed on the outer surface or inside of a longitudinally extending backbone. By alternating their positions between the inner and outer sides at each helical period, the system mechanically cancels out the length differences caused by backbone bending. Applicable to surgical soft robots, endoscopes, and inspection robots for confined spaces, it enhances steering precision by neutralizing unintended tension during bending.

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Key Features:

• A backbone extending longitudinally, featuring helical grooves on its outer surface to accommodate steering wires.
• A first steering wire group arranged in a first helical direction along the backbone to transmit manipulation force to the end-effector.
• A second steering wire group arranged in a second helical direction along the backbone to transmit manipulation force to the end-effector.
• A structure where the two steering wire groups are positioned at varying lateral distances from the center of the backbone.

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for the development of robot task control technology capable of grasping, manipulating, and using tools on various objects in daily environments based on multimodal perception.