“RobOstrich” Manipulator: A Novel Mechanical Design and Control based on the Anatomy and Behavior of an Ostrich Neck

Abstract

<p>This study provides a novel mechanical design and a control law for tendon-driven flexible manipulator based on the anatomy of an ostrich neck.</p> <p>We carried out a dissection of ostrich neck which clarified muscle attachment site and cross-sectional views of the neck.</p> <p>We proposed a novel wire arrangement and control method, that performs the same movement as the ostrich's neck by integrating our findings from the dissection with previous studies on bird's necks.</p> <p>The implemented manipulator showed that morphology, such as joint angle limit and muscle-tendon arrangement, provides dexterity and structural stability to flexible manipulators.</p> <p>These results are suggestive for biology because they indicate that actual birds may also use the proposed mechanism and control laws.</p>