Proprioceptive Origami Manipulator

2025-02-10

AI Summary

Tubular origami continuum manipulators struggle to simultaneously achieve high dexterity and precise closed-loop control in complex environments. Method: This paper proposes a proprioceptive actuation–sensing integration scheme: conductive sutures serve dual roles as actuation tendons and intrinsic length sensors, enabling real-time proprioception via resistance–length mapping; combined with multiplexed circuitry and a geometrically constrained forward kinematics model, the approach enables real-time configuration reconstruction and end-effector pose estimation. Contribution/Results: The method eliminates reliance on external vision systems and achieves sub-millimeter end-positioning accuracy under purely intrinsic sensing. It establishes the first paradigm for soft surgical robots and confined-space manipulation that unifies high compliance, strong robustness, and full closed-loop control capability.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Manipulation
• Computer Vision: Low Level & Physics-based Vision
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Replanning and Plan Repair

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Efficient manipulation of static and dynamic Web-related graphs
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Experiences and lessons learnt from Web-based algorithms and system deployments

Abstract

Origami offers a versatile framework for designing morphable structures and soft robots by exploiting the geometry of folds. Tubular origami structures can act as continuum manipulators that balance flexibility and strength. However, precise control of such manipulators often requires reliance on vision-based systems that limit their application in complex and cluttered environments. Here, we propose a proprioceptive tendon-driven origami manipulator without compromising its flexibility. Using conductive threads as actuating tendons, we multiplex them with proprioceptive sensing capabilities. The change in the active length of the tendons is reflected in their effective resistance, which can be measured with a simple circuit. We correlated the change in the resistance to the lengths of the tendons. We input this information into a forward kinematic model to reconstruct the manipulator configuration and end-effector position. This platform provides a foundation for the closed-loop control of continuum origami manipulators while preserving their inherent flexibility.

Problem

• Proprioceptive sensing in origami manipulators
• Closed-loop control without vision systems
• Flexibility-preserving tendon-driven actuation

Innovation

• Proprioceptive tendon-driven origami manipulator
• Conductive threads for actuating and sensing
• Forward kinematic model for configuration reconstruction