STUDY ON THE PIECEWISE CONSTANT CURVATURE KINEMATIC MODEL OF A TWO-SEGMENT ROBOT

This study presents the Piecewise Constant Curvature (PCC) kinematic model of a two-segment continuum robot, offering a clear and illustrative approach to deriving the kinematics of a soft manipulator. Analytical expressions are developed to relate the endpoint positions of the robot’s pneumatic arm segments to the lengths of its pneumatic muscles. The kinematic model has two contrasting features: it is general enough to be applicable for various continuum robot arms, yet it does not account for specific structural details, requiring adaptation for different soft robot designs. The step-by-step methodology, visual clarity, and extension of the PCC model to a two-segment robot distinguish this research from existing studies. This approach can be extended to multi-segment soft manipulators, offering a valuable framework for further exploration in the field.