This device includes a propulsion element including at least one portion deformable in elongation/contraction according to a main axis (X.sub.2) connecting a front portion and a rear portion. At least two guide elements adapted to generate, under the effect of an energy supply, a rotation of the propulsion element respectively about a first axis of rotation and about a second axis of rotation transverse to each other and to the main axis (X.sub.2) of the propulsion element. A control unit configured to actuate a rotation of the propulsion element about at least one axis transverse to the main axis (X.sub.2) in a coordinated manner with a deformation of the deformable element of the propulsion element in elongation/contraction according the main axis (X.sub.2).

A method for constructing a robotic arm includes positioning a wire in a formation zone for the robotic arm; and forming a body of the robotic arm in the formation zone around the wire such that the body of the robotic arm encloses at least a portion of the wire.

A magnetically controllable robotic device including a body having a first body part and a second body part movably connected with the first body part. The first body part and the second body part are both rigid. The first body part is magnetically-responsive such that the first body part can be controlled by an external magnetic field generated by an magnetic control system. The first body part may be controlled such that the magnetically controllable robotic device is moved by the external magnetic field.

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.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating motions for components in a robotic operating environment. One of the methods includes receiving a request to generate a motion for a kinematic system having a plurality of connected entities. An entity-specific sampling module for each of multiple degree-of-freedom (DOF) groups representing respective entities of the kinematic system is identified. A plurality of joint configuration samples are generated according to an ordering of a plurality of nonfunctional DOF groups using a respective entity-specific sampling module for each nonfunctional DOF group. A final joint configuration sample is generated for one or more one or more control points using a respective entity-specific sampling module for a functional DOF group. A motion comprising a sequence of respective joint configuration samples from each of the plurality of DOF groups is generated.

A flexible drive manipulator according to an example embodiment may include a proximal portion, a plurality of joint portions drivably connected from an end of the proximal portion with respect to a longitudinal axis, a distal portion connected to an end of the plurality of joint portions, a pair of drive wires passing through the plurality of joint portions in parallel along the longitudinal axis, the pair of drive wires configured to drive the plurality of joint portions in a rotational direction of rotation with respect to a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a fixing wire passing through the plurality of joint portions in a shape of converging along the longitudinal axis, the fixing wire configured to adjust rigidity of the plurality of joint portions.

A method of operating a robot includes providing a robot having a plurality of independently operable links that rotate and translate the robot. The links comprise a first link having a first distal end, a first proximal end, and a first longitudinal axis extending between the first distal end and the first proximal end and a second link having a second proximal end, a second distal end operatively coupled to the first proximal end, and a second longitudinal axis extending between the second proximal end and the second distal end. The method further comprises inserting the robot through a first opening into the space and advancing the robot through the space by performing at least one of the following operations: axially elongating the robot; pivoting the first longitudinal axis relative to the second longitudinal axis; and rotating the first longitudinal axis relative to the second longitudinal axis.

To provide a technology of reducing a difference with respect to a target position of a curvable portion of a continuum robot which is to move forward substantially along a trajectory including a branched trajectory and a space. A continuum robot includes a plurality of curvable portions separately driven by wires, and control units which control positions of a plurality of curvable portions in accordance with a kinematic model. A modification value for modifying the kinematic model based on a target position and a measured position about each of the cases in which the plurality of curvable portions take a plurality of positions having at least one intersection is calculated. Modification uses a modification result in at least one of the plurality of positions as an initial value to modify the kinematic model in another position, and synthesizes the plurality of modification values.

A multi-degree-of-freedom continuum robot with a flexible target grasping function comprises a driving device module, a trunk simulation module and a nimble finger module. The trunk simulation module is composed of a rotary compression module and a bending compression module. Each module has a unified connection interface reserved at the end, and is combined and assembled according to actual needs. The driving module is arranged on the base of the robot to realize the driving operation of all cables to control the motion of the robot. The rotary compression module can simultaneously generate the motion in the forms of rotation and compression, thereby compensating for the defect of blind angle of the bending compression module. The bending compression module can realize compression deformation and bending deformation of the module independently. The nimble finger module realizes a grasping function by multi-finger collaboration.

There is provided a continuum robot comprising a first end, a second end and an elongate body, a sensor arranged at the first end and a cooling jacket adjacent the sensor. The cooling jacket comprises a cavity containing a cooling medium for absorbing heat from the sensor.