Abstract
Hyper-flexible manipulators denote manipulators with higher flexibility than conventional flexible systems which are based on the assumption of elasticity at links and/or joints. For instance, dexterous manipulation with strings, ropes, wires, and tethers is to be considered in this subject. In the preceding papers, the authors proposed that a manipulator which are connected by free joints and actuated only by its first joint can be a dynamical model of hyper-flexible systems. Its dynamic behaviors was clarified via averaging analysis. Control methods were developed using the dynamic features and their effectiveness verified by simulations. In this paper, an experimental system for hyper-flexible manipulators is developed and the proposed control methods are verified by experiments. In addition, the analysis and control in the preceding papers is applied to more general higher-order systems.
