Performance and Experimental Analysis of Strain-based Models for Continuum Robots

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Delucchi, Annika, Di Paola, Vincenzo, Müller, Andreas, Zoppi, and Matteo
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2026
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author Delucchi, Annika
Di Paola, Vincenzo
Müller, Andreas
Zoppi, and Matteo
author_facet Delucchi, Annika
Di Paola, Vincenzo
Müller, Andreas
Zoppi, and Matteo
contents Although strain-based models have been widely adopted in robotics, no comparison beyond the uniform bending test is commonly recognized to assess their performance. In addition, the increasing effort in prototyping continuum robots highlights the need to assess the applicability of these models and the necessity of comprehensive performance evaluation. To address this gap, this work investigates the shape reconstruction abilities of a third-order strain interpolation method, examining its ability to capture both individual and combined deformation effects. These results are compared and discussed against the Geometric-Variable Strain approach. Subsequently, simulation results are experimentally verified by reshaping a slender rod while recording the resulting configurations using cameras. The rod configuration is imposed using a manipulator displacing one of its tips and extracted through reflective markers, without the aid of any other external sensor -- i.e. strain gauges or wrench sensors placed along the rod. The experiments demonstrate good agreement between the model predictions and observed shapes, with average error of 0.58% of the rod length and average computational time of 0.32s per configuration, outperforming existing models.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_22854
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Performance and Experimental Analysis of Strain-based Models for Continuum Robots
Delucchi, Annika
Di Paola, Vincenzo
Müller, Andreas
Zoppi, and Matteo
Robotics
Although strain-based models have been widely adopted in robotics, no comparison beyond the uniform bending test is commonly recognized to assess their performance. In addition, the increasing effort in prototyping continuum robots highlights the need to assess the applicability of these models and the necessity of comprehensive performance evaluation. To address this gap, this work investigates the shape reconstruction abilities of a third-order strain interpolation method, examining its ability to capture both individual and combined deformation effects. These results are compared and discussed against the Geometric-Variable Strain approach. Subsequently, simulation results are experimentally verified by reshaping a slender rod while recording the resulting configurations using cameras. The rod configuration is imposed using a manipulator displacing one of its tips and extracted through reflective markers, without the aid of any other external sensor -- i.e. strain gauges or wrench sensors placed along the rod. The experiments demonstrate good agreement between the model predictions and observed shapes, with average error of 0.58% of the rod length and average computational time of 0.32s per configuration, outperforming existing models.
title Performance and Experimental Analysis of Strain-based Models for Continuum Robots
topic Robotics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.22854