Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Mechanical Engineering
Advisor/Mentor
Dr. Wan Shou
Committee Member
Dr. Wan Shou
Second Committee Member
Dr. Uche Wejinya
Abstract
Effective navigation through complex vascular anatomy remains a central challenge in minimally invasive surgery, where limited dexterity at the distal tip of catheter-based tools constrains both procedural reliability and patient eligibility. This thesis presents the design, fabrication, and experimental evaluation of a millimeter-scale tendon-driven fiber robot based on a reinterpretation of traditional tendon-driven continuum robot architecture. Rather than relying on discrete routing disks and exposed tendons, the proposed design embeds actuation channels directly within a compliant polymer substrate, reducing component complexity and producing a continuous structural profile suited to constrained navigation environments. Prototypes were fabricated from 50A Elastic photopolymer resin across varying lengths and actuation channel counts, both types of samples evaluated on bending angle, tip reach, directional control, and recovery behavior. Results demonstrated bending angles of up to 107 degrees, with three-channel configurations exhibiting a clear length-dependent bending trend and four-channel configurations producing greater tip reach at the cost of reduced compliance. These findings indicate that channel count and substrate stiffness function as tunable design parameters within the embedded architecture. This work establishes a reproducible design and fabrication framework for millimeter-scale continuum robotic systems, contributing a concrete empirical foundation for future development toward sensor integration, controlled actuation, and expanded material characterization.
Keywords
Continuum robotics; Tendon-driven actuation; Soft robotics; Minimally invasive surgery; Millimeter-scale fabrication; Polymer substrate
Citation
Ramirez-Lazaro, A. Y. (2026). Design and Fabrication of a Millimeter-scale Tendon-driven Fiber Robot. Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/meeguht/154
Included in
Biomechanical Engineering Commons, Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation Commons, Cardiology Commons, Cardiovascular Diseases Commons, Equipment and Supplies Commons, Manufacturing Commons, Polymer and Organic Materials Commons, Surgery Commons, Surgical Procedures, Operative Commons
