A Two-Segment Continuum Robot with Piecewise Stiffness for Tracheal Intubation and Active Decoupling
This study presents a two-segment continuum robot with piecewise stiffness, designed to enhance the precision, adaptability, and safety of tracheal intubation procedures. The robot employs a continuum manipulator (CM) as its end-effector, featuring a proximal segment (PS) with an aluminum alloy inte...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/14/5/228 |
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| author | Jianhao Tang Lingfeng Sang Junjie Tian Qiqi Pan Yuan Han Wenxian Li Yu Tian Hongbo Wang |
| author_facet | Jianhao Tang Lingfeng Sang Junjie Tian Qiqi Pan Yuan Han Wenxian Li Yu Tian Hongbo Wang |
| author_sort | Jianhao Tang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study presents a two-segment continuum robot with piecewise stiffness, designed to enhance the precision, adaptability, and safety of tracheal intubation procedures. The robot employs a continuum manipulator (CM) as its end-effector, featuring a proximal segment (PS) with an aluminum alloy interlocking joint, which provides high axial stiffness for stable insertion, and a distal segment (DS) with a micro-nano resin-based notched structure, offering increased flexibility and compliance to navigate complex anatomical structures such as the epiglottis and vocal cords, thereby reducing airway trauma. To describe the motion behavior of the robot, a piecewise variable curvature kinematic model is developed, capturing the deformation characteristics of each segment under actuation. Furthermore, a piecewise stiffness analysis is conducted to determine the axial and bending stiffness of each segment, ensuring an appropriate balance between stability and flexibility. To enhance control precision, an active tendon-driven decoupling control strategy is introduced, effectively minimizing the interaction forces between flexible segments and improving end-effector maneuverability. The results demonstrate that the proposed design significantly improves the adaptability of the tracheal intubation robot, ensuring controlled insertion while reducing the risk of excessive force on the airway walls. This study provides theoretical and technical insights into the mechanical design and control strategies of continuum robots, contributing to the safety and efficiency of tracheal intubation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1af9edd7587541aeaf46a95c3cab9f9e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-0825 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Actuators |
| spelling | doaj-art-1af9edd7587541aeaf46a95c3cab9f9e2025-08-20T02:33:43ZengMDPI AGActuators2076-08252025-05-0114522810.3390/act14050228A Two-Segment Continuum Robot with Piecewise Stiffness for Tracheal Intubation and Active DecouplingJianhao Tang0Lingfeng Sang1Junjie Tian2Qiqi Pan3Yuan Han4Wenxian Li5Yu Tian6Hongbo Wang7Academy for Engineering & Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaNingbo Key Laboratory of Aging Health Equipment and Service Technology, Ningbo Polytechnic, Ningbo 315800, ChinaAcademy for Engineering & Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaAcademy for Engineering & Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, ChinaAcademy for Engineering & Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, ChinaThis study presents a two-segment continuum robot with piecewise stiffness, designed to enhance the precision, adaptability, and safety of tracheal intubation procedures. The robot employs a continuum manipulator (CM) as its end-effector, featuring a proximal segment (PS) with an aluminum alloy interlocking joint, which provides high axial stiffness for stable insertion, and a distal segment (DS) with a micro-nano resin-based notched structure, offering increased flexibility and compliance to navigate complex anatomical structures such as the epiglottis and vocal cords, thereby reducing airway trauma. To describe the motion behavior of the robot, a piecewise variable curvature kinematic model is developed, capturing the deformation characteristics of each segment under actuation. Furthermore, a piecewise stiffness analysis is conducted to determine the axial and bending stiffness of each segment, ensuring an appropriate balance between stability and flexibility. To enhance control precision, an active tendon-driven decoupling control strategy is introduced, effectively minimizing the interaction forces between flexible segments and improving end-effector maneuverability. The results demonstrate that the proposed design significantly improves the adaptability of the tracheal intubation robot, ensuring controlled insertion while reducing the risk of excessive force on the airway walls. This study provides theoretical and technical insights into the mechanical design and control strategies of continuum robots, contributing to the safety and efficiency of tracheal intubation.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/14/5/228tracheal intubationcontinuum manipulatorpiecewise stiffnessactive decouplingtendon-driven |
| spellingShingle | Jianhao Tang Lingfeng Sang Junjie Tian Qiqi Pan Yuan Han Wenxian Li Yu Tian Hongbo Wang A Two-Segment Continuum Robot with Piecewise Stiffness for Tracheal Intubation and Active Decoupling Actuators tracheal intubation continuum manipulator piecewise stiffness active decoupling tendon-driven |
| title | A Two-Segment Continuum Robot with Piecewise Stiffness for Tracheal Intubation and Active Decoupling |
| title_full | A Two-Segment Continuum Robot with Piecewise Stiffness for Tracheal Intubation and Active Decoupling |
| title_fullStr | A Two-Segment Continuum Robot with Piecewise Stiffness for Tracheal Intubation and Active Decoupling |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Two-Segment Continuum Robot with Piecewise Stiffness for Tracheal Intubation and Active Decoupling |
| title_short | A Two-Segment Continuum Robot with Piecewise Stiffness for Tracheal Intubation and Active Decoupling |
| title_sort | two segment continuum robot with piecewise stiffness for tracheal intubation and active decoupling |
| topic | tracheal intubation continuum manipulator piecewise stiffness active decoupling tendon-driven |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/14/5/228 |
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