Continuum Actuated Redundant Tendon Robots

Opterus Research and Development, Inc. (Opterus) and Colorado State University (CSU) have combined the best features of high strain composites (HSC), continuum robots, and tendon actuated robots to develop a new concept called Continuum Actuated Redundant Tendon (CART) Robot to enable self-reconfigurable modular robots that can perform various tasks (e.g., walking, crawling, wheeling, and grasping, etc.) without modifying the mechanical structure. CART robot has six modular limbs are made from a high strain composite backbone connected to frame elements that are tied via tendons. High strain composites were originally developed for aerospace (e.g., deployable booms for spacecraft), and they are axially stiff but complaint in flexure, which is ideal for continuum robots. CART robot limbs achieve a high number of controllable degrees of freedom (DOF) by distributing actuation along the length of the limb, which additionally avoids the moment coupling and high loads at the base typical of existing high DOF continuum arms. Distributing actuation also means the architecture is reliable and fail safe through redundant tendon connections. Opterus proposes to use the CART architecture as the basis for a modular, self-reconfigurable robot capable of manipulation and multimodal locomotion over varying terrain.