Soft continuum manipulators (SCMs) are characterized by their inherent compliance, safety and ease of fabrication. Common drawbacks of SCM systems include limited payload capacity, workspace and dexterity. However, adding additional continuum manipulators to assist one another in tasks can improve the metrics and further improve soft control and modelling. This project utilized the open-source library PyElastica to dynamically simulate two soft manipulators working in tandem. The mathmematical framework was incorporated into the simulation environment. A physical system was constructed and open-loop control of the manipulators was performed to validate the simulation results.
1: Learning to work with large codebases and understanding how to implement continuum mechanics into code (git, refactoring, etc.)
2: Creating larger electromechanical systems that work in tandem with soft manipulators
3: Utilizing basic ROS concepts to communciate between input pressure, reading pressure, and positions/orientation
4: Theory and fabrication behind soft robotic manipulators, FREEs (fiber reinforced elastomeric enclosures) actuators in this case
Publication coming soon!
more to come with final publication! (simulation, validation, applications)
