IDEAS² Center Co-I Dr. Zheng Chen’s MIRO-supported research at the Bio-Inspired Robotics and Control Lab advanced the modeling and sensing capabilities of tendon-driven soft robotic arms for future space applications.
The group developed a computationally efficient method for forward kinematic state estimation using a reduced-order “pseudostate” formulation, enabling accurate recursive calculation of arm deformation states using curvature and twist profiles.
The team is also validating embedded soft strain gauge sensors for real-time shape sensing, utilizing a CNC-driven experimental setup to characterize sensor dynamics. An empirical model of the sensing behavior has been established, and ongoing efforts aim to derive a physics-based model grounded in first principles.