TY - GEN
T1 - Robotic manipulators with remotely-actuated joints
T2 - 2006 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2006
AU - Christoforou, Eftychios G.
AU - Tsekos, Nikolaos V.
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - A popular configuration for the actuation of robotic manipulators with articulated joints is to have motors directly attached to the joints. This approach does not involve any transmission elements between the actuators and the joints and it is advantageous in many respects. However, in certain cases this configuration may not be appropriate and manipulators with remotely-actuated joints may be desirable. In this article different alternatives for the implementation of remote actuation will be discussed and a case study will be presented relevant to a robotic arm, which was designed to operate inside a closed cylindrical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner for the performance of image-guided interventions. The transfer of motion to the articulated joints of the arm was implemented using drive shafts and universal joints (u-joints). Experimental testing of the arm highlights issues relevant to remote actuation.
AB - A popular configuration for the actuation of robotic manipulators with articulated joints is to have motors directly attached to the joints. This approach does not involve any transmission elements between the actuators and the joints and it is advantageous in many respects. However, in certain cases this configuration may not be appropriate and manipulators with remotely-actuated joints may be desirable. In this article different alternatives for the implementation of remote actuation will be discussed and a case study will be presented relevant to a robotic arm, which was designed to operate inside a closed cylindrical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner for the performance of image-guided interventions. The transfer of motion to the articulated joints of the arm was implemented using drive shafts and universal joints (u-joints). Experimental testing of the arm highlights issues relevant to remote actuation.
KW - MRI-compatible manipulators
KW - Remotely actuated joints
KW - u-joints
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845615120&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33845615120&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/ROBOT.2006.1642136
DO - 10.1109/ROBOT.2006.1642136
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:33845615120
SN - 0780395069
SN - 9780780395060
T3 - Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
SP - 2866
EP - 2871
BT - Proceedings 2006 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ICRA 2006
Y2 - 15 May 2006 through 19 May 2006
ER -