Model-Based Engineering Framework for Soft Continuum Robots
Linus Witucki, Jan Eike Rösler, Mike Barth
AI summary
Problem
Soft continuum robots lack standardized engineering workflows and hardware abstraction due to diverse actuation methods and control strategies, hindering consistent design and industrial adoption.
Approach
The authors extend the Unified Robot Description Format (URDF) to create U(C)RDF, an information model that standardizes soft robot curvature and actuation data, enabling decoupled hardware/software development and controller parameterization within ROS2.
Key results
- U(C)RDF information model for standardized soft robot description
- Modular tendon-driven continuum robot prototype with three detachable segments
- Hardware-independent control stack with reusable feed-forward and trajectory controllers
- Validated software-hardware decoupling enabling cross-actuation controller reuse
Why it matters
It standardizes soft robot engineering workflows, accelerates development, and enables interoperable, model-based control for safer human-robot collaboration in dynamic industrial environments.
Abstract
Soft continuum robots are gaining attention for their potential to enable inherently safe and adaptive human- robot collaboration, especially in dynamic industrial envi- ronments. However, the development of these robots varies drastically and no standardization exists. This is particularly problematic for soft continuum robots, because of the variety of different actuation methods, and control strategies. This paper addresses the challenge of engineering soft continuum robots by introducing a generalized framework that enables hardware abstraction and controller reuse. The approach com- bines a modular robot design by extending the Unified Robot Description Format (URDF) information model to support soft continuum robotics. Enabling the decoupling of hard- and software development. For the concept validation, a modu- lar tendon-driven continuum robot was developed and inte- grated into the framework. The extended Unified (Continuum) Robot Description Format (U(C)RDF) enables visualization and controller parameterization through standardized interfaces, allowing for reusable software components across different actuation principles. This approach achieves a flexible and scalable engineering process for soft continuum robots, bridging the gap between research prototypes and industrial deployment. It lays the foundation for future developments in model- based design, automated control, and interoperability of soft continuum robotic systems.