Discrete Geometric Modeling and Extended State Estimation of Continuum Robots

Abstract

In this paper, we present a fully discrete approach for the accurate and numerically efficient dynamical modeling and state estimation of continuum robots. The model is based on geometrically exact beams in a minimal, strain-based formulation and derived in the framework of Lie group variational integrators, allowing to preserve important geometric properties that we exploit to achieve high accuracy and numerical efficiency. We then propose a disturbance observer based on an extended Kalman filter formulation that reliably estimates system states as well as model uncertainties and external disturbances. Experiments on a real system validate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed model and observer.

©2026 Maximilian Herrmann, Leander Pfeiffer, Paul Kotyczka. This work has been accepted to IFAC for publication under a Creative Commons Licence CC-BY-NC-ND