In this paper, we provide an analytical formulation for the geometricostatic problem of continuum planar parallel robots. This formulation provides to an analytical computation of a set of equations governing the equilibrium configurations. We also introduce a stability criterion of the computed configurations. This formulation is based on the use of Kirchhoff's rod deformation theory and finite-difference approximations. Their combination leads to a quadratic expression of the rod's deformation energy. Equilibrium configurations of a planar parallel robot composed of two hinged flexible rods are computed according to this new formulation and compared with the ones obtained with state-of-the-art approaches. By assessing equilibrium stability with the proposed technique, new unstable configurations are determined.

Continuum parallel robots (CPRs) comprise several flexible beams connected in parallel to an end-effector. They combine the inherent compliance of continuum robots with the high payload capacity of parallel robots. Workspace characterization is a crucial point in the performance evaluation of CPRs. In this paper, we propose a methodology for the workspace evaluation of planar continuum parallel robots (PCPRs), with focus on the constant-orientation workspace. An explorative algorithm, based on the iterative solution of the inverse geometrico-static problem is proposed for the workspace computation of a generic PCPR. Thanks to an energy-based modelling strategy, and derivative approximation by finite differences, we are able to apply the Kantorovich theorem to certify the existence, uniqueness, and convergence of the solution of the inverse geometrico-static problem at each step of the procedure. Three case studies are shown to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

In this paper, a mobile manipulation system for automatized logistic applications is presented. The robotic system is specifically designed for depalletizing/palletizing tasks, namely is product extraction from homogeneous pallets and assembly of new heterogeneous pallets. The robotic system is mainly composed by an autonomous vehicle, a collaborative robotic arm and a lifting device, which is able to collect products from different pallet layers. The handling strategy is not based on lifting items, as in classical pick-and-place operations, but on dragging them aboard the mobile vehicle. As the payload weight is not supported by the arm, the overall robotic system is very light compared to the manipulated items, which is a paramount benefit for a mobile collaborative application. This paper presents the mechanical design, the hardware selection and the experimentation in a laboratory scenario, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed manipulation strategy.