Patent ID: 8768509
Filing Date: 2014-07-01
Classification: B25J,F16M,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A controllable robotic arm, comprising: (a) an articulable column comprised of: (b) at least one compression element which acts on said articulable column so as to produce compression in at least one of said joints and thereby transform said articulable column from said low energy state to said high energy state; (c) at least one shaping element, each of which extends along at least a portion of the articulable column and, when in position for actuation, extends along at least one of said joints; wherein each of said shaping elements is flexible and bends when actuated so as to produce bending movement of said joint; (d) a compression control mechanism for controlling rigidity of said articulable column, wherein said compression control mechanism selectively actuates one or more of said compression elements so as to reversibly and controllably produce compression in at least one of said joints; and (e) a shape control mechanism for controlling shape of said articulable column, wherein said shape control mechanism selectively actuates one or more of said shaping elements so as to reversibly and controllably produce movement in at least one of said joints.