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fully edited. Content may change prior to final publication. Citation information: DOI 10.1109/LRA.2017.2759789, IEEE Robotics
and Automation Letters
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS. PREPRINT VERSION. ACCEPTED SEPTEMBER, 2017 1
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This article has been accepted for publication in a future issue of this journal, but has not been fully edited. Content may change prior to final publication. Citation information: DOI 10.1109/LRA.2017.2759789, IEEE Robotics
and Automation Letters
2 IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS. PREPRINT VERSION. ACCEPTED SEPTEMBER, 2017
controlled DoFs and the positioning accuracy of the object. the deflection of the flexible elements is assumed to be small
There is a variety of CR applications that will benefit from to allow linear treatments of the problem, whereas individual
these improved performance characteristics. A promising ap- CRs in the CCR structure exhibit large nonlinear deflections.
plication is to use CCRs in minimally invasive surgeries which Several approaches have been proposed in the literature for
involve manipulation of tiny devices or taking tissue samples modeling individual CRs. One simplifying modeling approach
from internal organs. In this paper, we present a modeling is to rely on constant curvature assumption by neglecting the
scheme that can be applied for both CCR frameworks. How- effect of the external loading. Computational efficiency of
ever, we use a supportive framework as a case study to perform this modeling approach and its applicability to a wide variety
the simulations and experimental validations. of mechanical structures have led to its broad applications
[19]. The more accurate modeling approach is to incorporate
generalized forces applied to the robot into the model by
II. BACKGROUND
formulating the static equations of the system, i.e., in a kineto-
In continuum robotics area, there are several previous efforts static model. Cosserat-rod theory [20] provides a suitable
to improve the dexterity and enlarge the workspace of the framework for such a model of CRs. The Cosserat rod theory
manipulators by proposing new mechanical designs, e.g., has been applied for modeling of CRs driven by tendons [21],
using multiple continuum sections [8], dexterous robot base preshaped concentric tubes [11], and pneumatic actuators [22].
[9], multiple embedded tendons [10], concentric tubes [11], There have been several efforts to improve the computational
and parallel manipulators [12]. However, these approaches in efficiency of the CRs models, e.g., formulating the problem
large, constrain the robot structure to single backbone curve, as an initial value problem (IVP) [23], and developing a
limiting the stiffness of the robot in some directions, or impose low-dimensional model for steerable catheters [24]. Other
limited access points due to enlarged dimensions [12]. In attempts include a Jacobian computation method obtained
rigid-link robotics, the concept of cooperative manipulation directly from the Cosserat-rod equations [25] to reduce the
has a long history of successful applications and documented computation time. Apart from modeling single CRs, inverse
improved performance [13]. However, this concept is yet to kinematics of a parallel CR consisting of multiple coupled
be extensively explored in the continuum robotics context. In rods has also been investigated [12], [26]. In the closest work
soft robotics area, coordinated motion of multiple soft arms of to this study [15], [16], a parallel continuum mechanism is
a robotic octopus has been used for the robot swimming [14]. modeled as multiple Cosserat rods, and the simultaneous joint
However, in this study, the soft arms do not have physical constraints are taken into account in solving the coupled BVP
interactions with each other and their coordinated motion is for the rods. In this paper, we extend the previous work
merely studied from the motion planning perspective. Most by formalizing the modeling for cooperative tendon-driven
recently, a parallel continuum robot framework is proposed continuum robots (e.g., catheters). Additionally, we propose
in which multiple needles are used to manipulate a flexible non-dimensionalized formulation to address the convergence
device to perform incision-less surgical tasks [15], [16]. Apart issue inherent in the numerical solution of the boundary value
from these recent developments, the benefits offered by the problem (BVP) formed by the static equations of multiple
cooperative continuum robots can be utilized in other domains. CRs. The expanded convergence boundary resulting from the
In this paper, we focus on the applications of the CCRs in proposed formulation is highly desirable in many applications,
cardiac catheterization by introducing a cooperative ablation for instance, trajectory planning of medical robots based on
catheter system with the following general advantages. One the preoperative image of the target anatomy. We also, for the
advantage of the proposed CCR over the existing CR designs is first time, demonstrate quantitative advantages of cooperative
their reconfigurability, i.e., the possibility of changing the mor- robots over the single robot in terms of workspace and
phology of the robot to better suit to new tasks. This implies dexterity.
that in the CCR structure, the two CRs can join together when The rest of this paper is organized as follows. The proposed
needed. Hence, the flexibility of each independent continuum kineto-static model for CCRs is introduced in Section III.
manipulators is fully utilized yet the coupled version of the Section IV analyses the computational efficiency of the model
system can provide better performance characteristics when and compares the workspace and dexterity of the CCRs
the two CRs are joined. Additionally, the individual CRs in with single CRs. The proposed CCR model is experimentally
the CCR require limited space to access the desired location verified using a coupled catheter system as a case study in
as they can be inserted through separate small diameter entry Section V. Lastly, the paper concludes by suggesting the
points and coupled together afterward. directions for the future research.
From the modeling point of view, CCRs resemble parallel
(rigid-link) robots as both structures constitute closed kine-
III. K INETO - STATIC M ODELING
matic chains. As opposed to parallel robots, in CCRs, the
kinematic analysis does not suffice to obtain the shape of Both cooperative continuum robot frameworks discussed
the closed chain because the configuration of CCRs is not earlier can be treated as a closed kinematic chain with highly
only affected by the kinematic parameters but also internal flexible membranes. As opposed to rigid link robots, to obtain
forces and moments. Parallel robots with added compliance, the shape of such a closed chain, static analysis needs to
e.g., through flexible links [17] and joints [18] have also be performed. We assume that the mass and inertia of the
been introduced and analyzed. However, in these analyses, continuum membranes are negligible and the CCR does not
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LOTFAVAR et al.: COOPERATIVE CONTINUUM ROBOTS 3
B. Cooperative Continuum Robot Constraints Algorithm 1 The SND backwardforward iterative algorithm.
Backward Sub-algorithm.
Without loss of generality, let us consider two distinct CRs
for = End to Base
with known initial lengths and curvatures, coupled to form Calculate () from (13)
a closed kinematic chain as depicted in Fig. 1(a). To obtain Calculate () from (14)
the shape of the resultant CCR, following steps need to be Calculate (s)from (15)
taken. First, the two CRs are detached from the connection end
Forward Sub-algorithm.
point as depicted in Fig. 2(b) and the compensating interaction
for = Base to End
force and moment, denoted with NC and MC , respectively, Calculate di () from (16)
are applied. If connecting forces and moments, NC and MC , Calculate () from (17)
are known, shapes of both robots as well as their poses at Calculate R() from (18)
the connecting joint can be computed using the backward- end
forward algorithm introduced above. However, in the CCR,
these quantities are not known and should be calculated using
the static analysis such that the constraint imposed by the 3 2
= E` I N, M=
1` s, N = E` I M, 1` P,
=
connecting joint, namely equality of the pose at the point of
(12)
contact, is met, i.e., 2
=
`u E` I n,
= E`I m,
= d() d()
d =
` ds
W W BC
PAC = PBC + PA C , where l, E and I are scaling factors for length, Young modulus
W W BC
RAC = RBC RAC , (8) and area moment of inertia of the CR. They can be selected
as the average value of the associated parameters. Substituting
where {AC } and {BC } stand for the first and second robots
(12) reformulates the equations (1) to (11). The important SND
local frames at the connection point (Fig. 2(b)). To obtain a set
equations are listed here for later reference.
of connecting forces and moments that causes the deformation
of the two robots such that the constraint (8) are satisfied,
() + K1 0
the backward-forward algorithm should be called iteratively. BT ()() + () () + N () = 0, (13)
() + 1 0
In this paper, we use Levenberg-Marquardt Algorithm (LMA) BT ()() + () (),
[27] to find connecting forces and moments. The function that +v() () + M() = 0 (14)
is to be minimized by LMA is () = 1 0
BT ()() + (), (15)
P di () = () di (), i = 1, 2, 3, (16)
f (NC , MC ) = , (9)
O () = d3 (), (17)
where P and O are, respectively, the position and orien-
R() = d1 () d2 () d3 () , (18)
tation error vectors which are defined as W W BC
= AC BC AC , (19)
P = W
PAC PAC , W
PBC BC
(10)
F (N C , MC ) = , (20)
W
W BC O
O = RAC RBC RAC
T d()
WRAC WRBC BCRAC , (11) where, d and
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This article has been accepted for publication in a future issue of this journal, but has not been fully edited. Content may change prior to final publication. Citation information: DOI 10.1109/LRA.2017.2759789, IEEE Robotics
and Automation Letters
LOTFAVAR et al.: COOPERATIVE CONTINUUM ROBOTS 5
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This article has been accepted for publication in a future issue of this journal, but has not been fully edited. Content may change prior to final publication. Citation information: DOI 10.1109/LRA.2017.2759789, IEEE Robotics
and Automation Letters
6 IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS. PREPRINT VERSION. ACCEPTED SEPTEMBER, 2017
1 1
(a) 0.8
(b) CCR Single CR 0.8
CCRs
0.05 2 2
0.4 0.6
3 3
z/
y (m)
Entry points
y/
0 0.4
0
y/
0.2
4
-0.05 4
-0.4 5 y/
Solution 5 Solution x/ 0
6 Single CR
not found found 6 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
-0.1 x/
-0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 -0.5 0 0.5
x/
1 1.5 (a) (b)
x (m)
Figure 5. Comparison of the performance of a single continuum robot and a
Figure 3. The convergence performance of the CCR model algorithm, (a)
CCR, (a) mid-plane cross sectional view, (b) achievable tip orientations.
Initial algorithm, (b) SND algorithm.
0.5
accessible by the tip of the operative catheter using the CCR.
It is worth noting that with a proper design of the coupling
between the two CRs, one can take advantage of both single
z/
0
z/
0.5
coupling when needed.
0
1
1.5 In addition to extending the workspace, another advantage
y/ 0.5
-0.5 y/ x/
0
x/
(a) (b) of the CCR over a single CR is its improved dexterity. To
demonstrate this feature, dexterity of a single CR is compared
Figure 4. Scaled and non-dimensional workspace, (a) single catheter, (b)
coupled catheter.
with a CCR for a sample configuration as shown in Fig. 5(b).
In this figure, both structures are assumed to deflect on a
single plane pointing to a fixed position in their workspace. As
computational stability and efficiency of the algorithm, i.e., depicted, the CCR is able to achieve different tip orientations
(1) the SND formulation improves the convergence of the (9 cases are shown for clarity) while pointing to the fixed
algorithm for a broader range of initial guesses, and (2) it re- position whereas the single CR, shown by a dashed line, can
duces the number of iterations required for finding the solution only realize one orientation for the same location. This clearly
thus speeding up the algorithm computation. The promising demonstrates the superiority of CCR structure in the proce-
features of the SND formulation make it appealing for other dures where orienting the tip of the device is of importance,
applications where an efficient computation of the Jacobian e.g., ultrasound catheters.
matrix associated with the Cosserat-rod static equations is
required, for instance, force estimation, modeling, and control V. E XPERIMENTAL VALIDATION
of individual CRs.
The objective of this section is to discuss the experimental
analysis performed to verify the proposed model using a
B. Workspace Analysis
coupled catheter structure. In order to provide similar condi-
The objective of this section is to analyze and compare the tions with the simulation analysis, mechanical and geometrical
workspace and dexterity of a 2-arm CCR with a single CR. parameters are selected identically to those in the previous
For a single catheter, the workspace involves all the accessible section.
locations by the tip of the catheter for its allowable actuation
inputs, axial displacement, axial rotation and bending of the
distal end. The workspace of the single catheter is shown A. Experimental Setup
in Fig. 4(a) in conjunction with three sample shapes of the Two similar commercial steerable ablation catheters, namely
catheter. As illustrated, the workspace constitutes a capsule SteeroCath-T (BostonScientific, Natick, MA), are selected in
bounded by two interior and exterior spherocylinders. the case study with the properties listed in Table I. The exper-
Consider a coupled catheters system in which the tip of imental setup adopted for the evaluation of the proposed CCR
a supportive catheter is attached to the proximal end of the approach is shown in Fig. 6. As illustrated in Fig. 6(a), the
bending shaft of an operative catheter. The initial relative angle two catheters are mounted on robotic platforms (Althea I) that
of the two catheters at the connection point is assumed to provide axial motion, longitudinal twist and distal segments
be zero. The workspace of the resultant CCR, shown in Fig. bending for the two catheters. The tip part of the supportive
4(b), can be pictured as loci of the achievable points by the catheter and the end of the proximal region of the operative one
tip of the operative catheter for all the allowable actuation are joined by means of a printed coupling as illustrated in Fig.
inputs, i.e., axial displacement and knob angle of the operative 6(b). As shown in this figure, the two catheters are parallel at
catheter along with the axial translation of the supportive one. the connection point. The coupling has been designed in such
To compare the workspace of the coupled catheter system a way that all the relative DoFs of the catheters are constrained
with the single one, both spaces are depicted in Fig. 5(a). yet the catheters can have relative axial rotations. The Aurora
For more clarity, the two workspaces are sectioned by a plane electromagnetic (EM) tracking system (NDI, Waterloo, ON,
passing through the initial bending plane of the two catheters. Canada) is deployed to measure the position of the sensor
As illustrated, an expanded area in the lateral directions is attached to the tip of the operative catheter. Aurora provides
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This article has been accepted for publication in a future issue of this journal, but has not been fully edited. Content may change prior to final publication. Citation information: DOI 10.1109/LRA.2017.2759789, IEEE Robotics
and Automation Letters
LOTFAVAR et al.: COOPERATIVE CONTINUUM ROBOTS 7
Catheter B
(a) (b) (c)
Coupling
Catheter A
EM sensor
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This article has been accepted for publication in a future issue of this journal, but has not been fully edited. Content may change prior to final publication. Citation information: DOI 10.1109/LRA.2017.2759789, IEEE Robotics
and Automation Letters
8 IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS. PREPRINT VERSION. ACCEPTED SEPTEMBER, 2017
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