Optimization design of continuous robots driven by phase change materials inspired by bionics

Continuous robots have demonstrated good adaptability in complex environments. Continuous robots driven by phase change materials have been widely used due to their advantages of simple structure and high control precision. Inspired by the elephant's trunk, this paper designs a continuous robot with variable stiffness by relying on the characteristic that low-melting-point alloys change their rigidity with temperature, which can grasp objects in tortuous environments. This paper analyzes the motion principle and functions of the elephant's trunk and establishes a simplified model. Then, based on this, a bendable continuous robot is designed, and the stiffness of the robot can be changed by adjusting the temperature. Using the modular design method, the robotic arm and the gripper are designed respectively and a three-dimensional model is established. Mathematical modeling analysis and simulation are carried out on the robotic arm part with a computer. Under the same force, the stiffness of each segment is changed to achieve different bending forms, thus proving that the continuous robot has a relatively high degree of freedom and can deform adjusting the stiffness to adapt to complex environments.