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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.25005 |
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| _version_ | 1866910252508643328 |
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| author | Tan, Jiewen Xue, Junnan Cheng, Shing Shin Song, Shuang Lyu, Erli Wang, Jiaole |
| author_facet | Tan, Jiewen Xue, Junnan Cheng, Shing Shin Song, Shuang Lyu, Erli Wang, Jiaole |
| contents | Achieving both efficient pushability (propulsion transmission) and proximally concentrated bending for steerability is challenging for magnetically actuated soft catheters: higher axial/bending stiffness improves force transmission but reduces steerability, whereas lower stiffness enables large, proximally concentrated bending yet increases kinking/buckling risk under compressive push loads. To address this trade-off, we propose a stiffness-optimized multi-segment magnetically actuated catheter (SO-MAC) that integrates a decoupled steering-advancement mechanism with a gradient-stiffness architecture. The SO-MAC concentrates bending about a stable proximal pivot during advancement while the distal section passively self-straightens to transmit propulsion, aided by the optimized stiffness distribution and elastic recovery of the spring backbone against friction-induced kinking/buckling. Over $0{-}180^{\circ}$ combined steering and advancement, the pivot remained stable and the distal tip advanced near-straight toward the target direction. A 1.5 mm-diameter SO-MAC achieved up to $180^{\circ}$ steering with a 3 mm bending radius at its 10 mm tip, with an average shape error of $1.39 \pm 0.56$ mm and a steering-pivot error of $0.35 \pm 0.10$ mm. Visual feedback control in a bronchial phantom further confirmed robust navigation through highly curved, bifurcating paths. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_25005 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Stiffness Optimization for Concentrated Bending in Magnetically Actuated Catheters: Maintaining Steerability under Gradient Stiffness Tan, Jiewen Xue, Junnan Cheng, Shing Shin Song, Shuang Lyu, Erli Wang, Jiaole Robotics Achieving both efficient pushability (propulsion transmission) and proximally concentrated bending for steerability is challenging for magnetically actuated soft catheters: higher axial/bending stiffness improves force transmission but reduces steerability, whereas lower stiffness enables large, proximally concentrated bending yet increases kinking/buckling risk under compressive push loads. To address this trade-off, we propose a stiffness-optimized multi-segment magnetically actuated catheter (SO-MAC) that integrates a decoupled steering-advancement mechanism with a gradient-stiffness architecture. The SO-MAC concentrates bending about a stable proximal pivot during advancement while the distal section passively self-straightens to transmit propulsion, aided by the optimized stiffness distribution and elastic recovery of the spring backbone against friction-induced kinking/buckling. Over $0{-}180^{\circ}$ combined steering and advancement, the pivot remained stable and the distal tip advanced near-straight toward the target direction. A 1.5 mm-diameter SO-MAC achieved up to $180^{\circ}$ steering with a 3 mm bending radius at its 10 mm tip, with an average shape error of $1.39 \pm 0.56$ mm and a steering-pivot error of $0.35 \pm 0.10$ mm. Visual feedback control in a bronchial phantom further confirmed robust navigation through highly curved, bifurcating paths. |
| title | Stiffness Optimization for Concentrated Bending in Magnetically Actuated Catheters: Maintaining Steerability under Gradient Stiffness |
| topic | Robotics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.25005 |