Continuum robots are able of in-situ inspection tasks in cluttered environments and narrow passages, where conventional robots and human operators cannot intervene. However, such intervention often requires the robot to interact with the environment, and the low stiffness and payload of continuum robots limits their intervention capabilities. In this paper, we propose a paradigm shift from individual to multiple continuum robots, which can reach the target environment from different paths and then physically connect, reconfiguring into a parallel architecture to enhance precision, stiffness, and payload. The main challenges in modelling and controlling cooperative continuum robots are outlined, and an experimental comparison between individual and cooperating continuum robots that connect through a novel shape-memory-alloy-based clutch highlights the advantages of the proposed technology.

The application of Soft Crawling Robots (SCRs) to real‐world scenarios remains a grand challenge due to their limited deployment time to reach the target and accessibility to difficult‐to‐reach environments by any obstacles. To overcome these limitations, a novel multimodal Tasering Twin Soft Robot (TTSR), carrying two SCRs, capable of 1) passive flight and 2) wall climbing to a desired location by deploying SCRs once reached the target is proposed. For satisfying both tasks, reconfigurable design of SCRs using a novel bistable mechanism and detaching mechanism based on a shape‐memory alloy for deploying SCRs is proposed. Each SCR is driven by two dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) and three electroadhesive (EA) feet. To demonstrate multimodality, the TTSR with two SCRs is launched by pneumatic pressure and flown over an obstacle. While flying, the SCRs are folded compactly to reduce the air drag and perch on a wall 3 m away (50 times of body length) within 0.64 s. After perching, the SCRs reconfigure themselves for crawling and separated from each other. After that, the SCRs crawl, performing planar motion, and reach predefined locations on the wall. Moreover, the SCR can move across 15°‐slope dihedral surfaces and inverted surface.

No abstract