Three-Dimensional Modeling and Display of Continuum Robots

Though a large number continuum robots exist, little work has been done to accurately and effectively visualize these devices in three dimensions. Like octopus arms and elephant trunks, these robots lack discrete joints, instead bending in smooth, continuous curves. Three-dimensional visualization of traditional rigid-link robots is both well established and extensively used in modeling, simulation, design, and operation of these robots. Providing three-dimensional visualization techniques extends these benefits, considered essential for rigid-link robots, to continuum robots. This paper presents a highly flexible three-dimensional visualization technique which executes in realtime for a large class of continuum robots. The results of this technique are then applied to two different continuum manipulators which are representative of most continuum robot designs, demonstrating the wide applicability of this method