Design of 3D-printed Flexible Robotic Arm with Bendable and Extendable Capacity

Abstract

Continuum robots can produce dexterous movements and safe interactions due to their inherent compliance, but the lack of stiffness has restricted their deployment in real-world environments. To address this problem, we have studied a high-payload robotic manipulator that bends and extends in 2D space. In this article, we propose the mechanical design for moving our manipulator in 3D space. We use a 3D printer for the prototype production and share its technical strategies for sturdiness and strong fastening.