Robot tendrils: Long, thin continuum robots for inspection in space operations

Traditional robots are constructed from rigid links which facilitate both stiffness and accuracy. However, these systems operate best in open spaces, and environments traversable by this technology are inherently restricted to scales and geometries which match the size and shape of the links. In this paper, we introduce a novel long, thin, continuously bending continuum robot tendril. Aimed toward NASA applications such as remote inspection and sensor mobility for improved sample acquisition, research with tendril agents could also have potential terrestrial applications and could be highly useful in areas of defense and security, search and rescue in hazardous environmental conditions, and as an innovative option for sensor placement in environmental monitoring. Using a prototype developed at Clemson University through NASA-funded research, we demonstrate the tendril's unique capabilities for adaptive sensor placement and remote inspection within an environment seeded with numerous disparate and slowly (over a matter of hours) time-varying sources, and discuss the potential for use of such robot tendrils in space applications.