Snake-arm robot

A snake-arm robot is a slender hyper-redundant manipulator. The high number of degrees of freedom allows the arm to “snake” along a path or around an obstacle – hence the name “snake-arm”.

Definition

Elephant Trunk robotic arm

Snake-arm robots are also described as continuum robots and elephant’s trunk robots although these descriptions are restrictive in their definitions and cannot be applied to all snake-arm robots.

This is an emerging field and as such there is no agreement on the best term for this class of robot.

Snake-arm robots are often used in association with another device. The function of the other device is to *introduce the snake-arm into the confined space. Examples of possible introduction axes include mounting a snake-arm on a remote controlled vehicle or an industrial robot or designing a bespoke a linear actuator. In this case the shape of the arm is coordinated with the linear movement of the introduction axis enabling the arm to follow a path into confined spaces.

Other features which are usually (but not always) associated with snake-arm robots:

A snake-arm robot is not to be confused with a snakebot which mimics the biomorphic motion of a snake in order to slither along the ground.

Applications

The ability to reach into confined spaces lends itself to many applications involving access problems. The list below is not intended to be an exhaustive list of possibilities but merely an indication of where these robots are being used or developed for use.

Industry

Main article: Industrial robot

Security and defence

Further information: Bomb disposal robot and Rescue robot

Robotic surgery

Main article: Robotic surgery

History of Snake-arm robots

References

  1. "Robot snake created by Bristol engineers", Dave Harvey, BBC News Website (bbc.co.uk), 27 September 2011
  2. "Snaking around in a nuclear jungle", Rob Buckingham and Andrew Graham, Int. J. Industrial Robot, Vol. 32, No. 2, ISSN 0143-991X, 2005, p120-127
  3. 1 2 "Snake-arm robots slither forward", Jonathon Fildes, BBC News Website (bbc.co.uk), 13 September 2006
  4. "Continuum Robot for in-situ repairs", University of Nottingham MiRoR project robot
  5. 1 2 Ingenia

External links

Snake-arm robots are currently being researched by several major universities:

Snake-arm robots are being made commercially by:

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