Modeling and Applications of Everting Vine Robots

Abstract

Everted tubes are soft growing robots that excel at passively navigating convoluted and cluttered environments. This thesis will provide evaluation of an inflated beam model applied to everted tubes, and secondly it will outline a proposed application of everted tubes: advanced airway management. Everted tubes have often been modeled as inflated beams to determine transverse and axial buckling conditions. In this study, the assumption is validated by comparing the tip deflection of everted and uneverted beams. The curvature of everted beams deflected under load and by environmental interactions is also shown to match the model. An iterative method for estimating an everted tube's static tip pose within an environment will also be presented. Advanced airway management is a challenging procedure essential in many trauma settings. This thesis proposes a dual balloon, everting airway device that autonomously deploys into the patient's airway. The dual balloon design allows it to safely deploy into the esophagus or trachea. Eversion gives the proposed device a passive mechanical intelligence allowing it to enter the patient's airway without heading control. Results will demonstrate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of such a device by characterizing the following: minimum pressures and forces required to deploy individual components; the effects of airway anatomy on growth; and the ability to provide a seal using elastic balloons.