An actuator (1) is described having a first part (4), a second part (2), and a body portion (3) between the first and second parts, wherein the body portion includes at least one chamber (14) configured to be pressurised and the body portion has a longitudinal axis; and a plurality of cables (6,7,8,9), wherein each of the plurality of cables is arranged in a respective at least partial spiral with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body portion (3); and wherein the plurality of cables are arranged such that the application of a selected force to at least one of the cables causes a desired movement of the first part relative to the second part.

A continuum arm robot section, in which the section comprises at least three segments, featuring a base, at least one middle segment and a tip segment. Each segment corresponding to at least one interconnecting portion between pairs of neighbouring discs that form a backbone of the section of the continuum arm robot. The base segment having a greater stiffness than the at least one middle segment and tip segment and the at least one middle segment having a greater stiffness than the tip segment. Also provided is a method of adjusting the stiffness of a continuum arm. The method comprising the steps applying a first stiffening component to a segment. Applying a second stiffening component to a different segment. The first stiffening means results in the base segment having a greater stiffness than the middle segment, and the second stiffening means results in the middle segment having lower stiffness than the base segment, but higher than the tip segment.

A device sized and shaped for insertion into a body comprising: at least one mechanical limb comprising: a support segment; a first flexible section extending from the support segment and terminating in a coupling section; and a second flexible section extending from the coupling section and terminating in a tool or an connector for a tool; wherein one or more of the flexible sections is bendable by at least 120; wherein a long axis length of the first flexible section is at least double a maximum extent of the first flexible section perpendicular to a flexible section long axis; wherein a long axis length of the second flexible section is at least double a maximum extent of the second flexible section perpendicular to a flexible section long axis.

The soft bodied structures and systems for controlling such devices are described herein. The soft bodied structures can move from a first position to a second position by an earthworm-like motion. The system can include connecting to a first contact point of the surface using a surface attachment. The medial region can include one or more spacer regions. The medial actuators can be actuated to expand the exterior medial surface at the spacer regions, thus moving the unattached end portion forward. The device can then attach to a second contact point using the surface attachment and the end portion actuator of the unattached end portion. Then, the surface attachment of the first attached end portion can detach. The medial actuators and the spacer regions can then relax, followed by detaching the surface attachment of the second attached end portion.

A manipulator includes an elongated portion; a bending portion coupled to a distal end of the elongated portion, the bending portion being formed by articulating a plurality of segment pieces; an end effector coupled to a distal end of the bending portion; an actuator coupled to a proximal end of the elongated portion; a first wire coupled to between the actuator and the end effector, the first wire being configured to actuate the end effector; and a second wire coupled to between the actuator and the bending portion, the second wire being configured to actuate the bending portion. Each of the plurality of segment pieces is configured to be articulated so as to be twisted with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the bending portion, and the first wire is configured to be inserted into the plurality of segment pieces so as to form a substantially twisted path.

A hyper redundant robot comprising: a first disk; a second disk positioned adjacent to the first disk, the first disk and the second disk having a longitudinal axis; a first joint arrangement positioned between the first disk and the second disk, the first disk and/or the second disk being in sliding contact with the first joint arrangement to enable the first disk and the second disk to rotate relative to one another; and a second joint arrangement positioned between the first disk and the second disk, the second joint arrangement being less stiff than the first joint arrangement.

Methods of controlling a hyper redundant manipulator, the hyper redundant manipulator including: a plurality of sections comprising a first free end section and a second end section; and a base arranged to receive the plurality of sections in a coiled configuration, the base being coupled to the second end section of the plurality of sections, the method comprising: receiving a trajectory for movement of the plurality of sections; determining an error in position and/or orientation relative to the trajectory for one or more sections of the plurality of sections, the error being caused at least in part by the coiled configuration; and controlling movement of the one or more sections using the determined error to compensate for the error in position and/or orientation of the one or more sections.

A multidirectional locomotive module with omnidirectional bending that is compliant along multiple axis is provided. The locomotive module includes, (A) a first part that includes (i) a first circular rigid component, a second circular rigid component and a third circular rigid component, wherein the first circular rigid component is coupled to the second circular rigid component using a first two degree of freedom joint, wherein the second circular rigid component is coupled to the third circular rigid component using a second two degree of freedom joint, wherein the first two degree of freedom joint is aligned along the X and Y axes and the second two degree of freedom joint along the Y-axis and the X-axis of the locomotive module; (ii) a first pair of bending actuators that are connected to the first two degree of freedom joint and a second pair of bending actuators that are connected to the second two degree of freedom joint, wherein the first and the second pair bending actuators receive a signal from an external device or a sensing module when the locomotive module is in operation and actuates the first or the second two degree of freedom joint that enables bending of the locomotive module to an angle ranges from 0 to 90 degrees about a Z-axis in a direction to achieve (a) surface compliance with external surface when the locomotive module is in a crawling position along the X-axis or (b) bending to an angle in a range of 0 to 90 degrees in a direction when the locomotive module is in a vertical locomotion position; and (iii) a sprocket wheel; and (B) a second part that is elongated in shape with circular cross-section along a length and hemispherical in shape at a first end and a second end of the locomotive module, wherein the second part includes a sprocket chain that runs over the sprocket wheel and curved components coupled with the sprocket chain, wherein the sprocket chain is compliant along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis, wherein the curved components includes curvature that in turn, along with the sprocket chain form circular cross-section of the second part along the length and hemispherical shape at the first end and the second end.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for a robotic manipulator that includes a base, a first segment, a first joint operatively coupling the base and the first segment, a second segment, and a second joint operatively coupling the first segment and the second segment are provided. The first joint is configured to rotate the first segment about at least two axes of rotation with respect to the base. The second joint is configured to rotate the second segment about at least one axis of rotation with respect to the first segment.

The present invention relates to a robot device comprising a chain comprising a plurality of fixedly connected links and a mobile actuator movable thereon configured to change a position of a link relative to a position of an adjacent link; wherein said mobile actuator comprises at least a first motor to drive it along said chain of connected links; and wherein said mobile actuator is engageable with a position-determining element in said link.