Design optimization of tendon-driven robots considering tendon wrapping and shortcut

Abstract:This study proposes a multi-objective optimization method for tendon-driven arm design, addressing the inherent trade-off between joint torque and arm thickness through tendon wrapping and shortcut effects. We formulate the problem to simultaneously maximize torque and minimize thickness, solved using NSGA-II. The algorithm optimizes tendon routing, pulley configurations, and attachment points. Results reveal Pareto-optimal designs with effective moment arm expansion via strategic shortcuts, providing practical guidelines for compact high-torque arms. The optimized configurations demonstrate non-trivial patterns beyond conventional design intuition, offering new insights for engineering efficient robotic systems.

Robotics (cs.RO)

arXiv:2610.09645 [cs.RO]

(or arXiv:2610.09645v1 [cs.RO] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2610.09645 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)

https://doi.org/10.1080/01691864.2026.2723650 Focus to learn more DOI(s) linking to related resources

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