"Soft" Continuum Robots: the Interaction of Continuous and Discrete Elements

Abstract

In this paper, we examine key issues underlying the design and operation of ―soft ‖ robots featuring continuous body (―continuum‖) elements. We contrast continuum and continuum-like robots created to date with their counterparts in the natural world. It is observed that natural continuum locomotors or manipulators almost invariably rely on hard/discrete elements (in their structure and/or operation) in their interactions with their environment. Implications for the successful operation and deployment of continuum robots are identified and discussed. 1.