{"ID":2870732,"CreatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","UpdatedAt":"2026-06-01T04:54:23.091178241Z","DeletedAt":null,"paper_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.11567","arxiv_id":"2509.11567","title":"Shape control of simulated multi-segment continuum robots via Koopman operators with per-segment projection","abstract":"Soft continuum robots can allow for biocompatible yet compliant motions, such as the ability of octopus arms to swim, crawl, and manipulate objects. However, current state-of-the-art continuum robots can only achieve real-time task-space control (i.e., tip control) but not whole-shape control, mainly due to the high computational cost from its infinite degrees of freedom. In this paper, we present a data-driven Koopman operator-based approach for the shape control of simulated multi-segment tendon-driven soft continuum robots with the Kirchhoff rod model. Using data collected from these simulated soft robots, we conduct a per-segment projection scheme on the state of the robots allowing for the identification of control-affine Koopman models that are an order of magnitude more accurate than without the projection scheme. Using these learned Koopman models, we use a linear model predictive control (MPC) to control the robots to a collection of target shapes of varying complexity. Our method realizes computationally efficient closed-loop control, and demonstrates the feasibility of real-time shape control for soft robots. We envision this work can pave the way for practical shape control of soft continuum robots.","short_abstract":"Soft continuum robots can allow for biocompatible yet compliant motions, such as the ability of octopus arms to swim, crawl, and manipulate objects. However, current state-of-the-art continuum robots can only achieve real-time task-space control (i.e., tip control) but not whole-shape control, mainly due to the high co...","url_abs":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.11567","url_pdf":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2509.11567v1","authors":"[\"Eron Ristich\",\"Jiahe Wang\",\"Lei Zhang\",\"Sultan Haidar Ali\",\"Wanxin Jin\",\"Yi Ren\",\"Jiefeng Sun\"]","published":"2025-09-15T04:14:04Z","proceeding":"cs.RO","tasks":"[\"cs.RO\"]","methods":"[]","has_code":false}