Tendon-Driven Continuum Robot for Deep-Sea Application

The extreme conditions of the deep sea require the use of large and expensive diving robots designed to withstand the high pressure in these depths. In order to reduce the costs for sediment sampling in the deep sea and thus facilitate the explorations of rare deep-sea ecosystems, the goal of this research is to design an alternative manipulator for deep- sea suction sampling. Instead of relying on heavy hydraulic rigid manipulators that deep-sea diving robots are commonly equipped with, we introduce a new concept for a lightweight actuation system that can be used in combination with a traditional diving robot and a suction sampling system. The proposed concept consists of a series of rigid links connected by angled swivel joints. Each segment is actuated by tendons, which allows for continuous bending. The system can be adapted to various sizes of host systems, and the links and joints are printed in place, simplifying the manufacturing process.