Control of a snake-like robot in an elastically deformable channel

Hyper-redundant (HR) (snake-like) robotic manipulators are particularly adept at navigating narrow, convoluted paths, but have traditionally been difficult to model and control. In this paper, we outline a nonmodel-based control methodology, which allows a five-joint HR robot to traverse a foam channel of unknown curvature using the robot actuators as sensors. The robot is fitted to a waveform which is demonstrated to move the robot along a deformable channel. The waveform parameters are variable, and are adjusted by the developed controller such that the robot is able to navigate unknown curving paths. This robot is demonstrated to be able to navigate a constricted, compliant channel in which the robot is in continuous contact with its surroundings. It is intended that this technology be applied to a multilink actuated endoscope.