A continuum robot inspired by elephant trunks

Conventional robots based on separate joints do not always perform well in complex real-world tasks, particularly those that involve the dexterous manipulation of objects. Some roboticists have thus been trying to devise continuum robots, robotic platforms characterized by infinite degrees of freedom and no fixed number of joints. Continuum robots are typically based on cables or other deformable components that can move more freely and are not restricted by fixed joint structures. Despite these advantages, many continuum robot designs proposed still cannot yet efficiently navigate complex and unstructured environments. Researchers at Sun Yat-Sen University, Dalian University of Technology and London South Bank University have recently developed a new continuum robot inspired by the trunks of elephants.