AI ENHANCED FLEXIBLE MODULAR SENSORS

Abstract

Recent robotics literature primarily focuses on continuum robots, which demonstrate high levels of versatility and flexibility compared to traditional rigid-link robots. Many widely used continuum robots are tendon-driven and actuated by motors. This project aims to design a continuum robot capable of reaching arbitrary 3D coordinates by developing and integrating strain sensors to identify the robot’s position. This work introduces novelty through a less conventional continuum robot structure that is designed to retain key performance characteristics similar to standard approaches. The robot’s backbone structure comprises four identical sections constructed using ball-and-socket joints. A flexible strain sensor is fabricated using Ecoflex and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Electromechanical characterization of the sensors demonstrated high linearity (R² = 0.981) up to 100% strain, a gauge factor of 4.12, and low hysteresis (1.59%). Successful integration onto the robot structure enabled the correlation of sensor resistance with robot bending. This study validates the feasibility of the proposed robot design and sensor configuration, providing a basis for the future implementation of machine learning algorithms for automated control.