Development of a linear decoupling cable-driven manipulator with independent driving joints

A cable-driven manipulator demonstrates significant application in cramped environments, such as space maintenance and equipment monitoring, owing to its slender body and excellent flexibility. However, in traditional designs, the mapping between the operational space and the joint space is nonlinear and nonconsistent, and the driving cables are also coupled. Consequently, the kinematics and dynamics become highly complex, posing challenges in enhancing efficiency and precision in trajectory planning and control. This paper introduces a novel linear decoupling cable-driven manipulator with independent driving joints. Two sets of nonlinear transmission mechanisms are designed and serially connected to form an equivalent linear transmission mechanism. This arrangement establishes a proportional relationship between the motor angle and joint angle, with the proportionality coefficient representing the equivalent transmission ratio. Moreover, a two-way wire-pulling mechanism is designed to achieve one-to-one driving between the motor and the joint. The nonlinear coupling problem between driving cables is solved by connecting the driving cable to the target joint through a constant-length cable sleeve. Based on the aforementioned design, the linear and consistent mapping between the operational space and the joint space is realized, significantly simplifying the kinematic model. Prototype experiments validate the manipulator's extensive range of motion and high motion accuracy.