Static Modeling of Multisection Soft Continuum Manipulator for Stiff-Flop Project

This paper describes the design and implementation of a static model used for position estimation of a flexible modular medical manipulator equipped with optic-fiber based sensors. Flexible manipulators are emerging technology in medical applications especially in minimally invasive surgery as it allows to perform the operation with tight space constraints without damaging other organs. Such option is often impossible with use of rigid surgical instrument. However one of the technical challenges in implementation of the flexible manipulator is to be able to determine the position of the manipulator during operation. A theoretical model of use of different information derived from opti-fiber based sensors to allow measurement of the position and deformation of the manipulator has been proposed. In comparison to typical constant curvature bending approach, proposed model allow to estimate deformation caused by external force applied to the structure. Simulation test has been carried out to present the advantages and possibilities of use of that model in data fusion algorithms to obtain precise positioning of the manipulator during the operation.