System and method for controlling a continuum robot whilst inspecting or repairing a component

A method for controlling a continuum robot for inspecting or repairing a component, the method comprising the steps of:

• indicating, by a sensor that includes a Fibre Bragg grating sensor that is coupled to the continuum robot, a curvature of the sensor relative to a reference point of the continuum robot, the sensor being disposed in a helical arrangement relative to a central axis of the continuum robot, the sensor extending along a helical direction relative to the central axis, and the sensor further includes one or more sensing components embedded therein, the one or more sensing components being configured to generate information indicative of the current shape of the sensor at different portions of the sensor;
• receiving, from the sensor, the curvature of the sensor relative to the reference point of the continuum robot;
• determining a current shape of the sensor based at least on the curvature of the sensor;
• determining a current shape of the continuum robot based at least on the determination of the current shape of the sensor;
• and
• adjusting the current shape of the continuum robot such that the current shape corresponds to a desired shape of the continuum robot based at least on the determination of the current shape of the continuum robot.