Magnetic coupling is a strategy to transmit actuation forces across a physical barrier. This approach can be applied to remotely control and manipulate robotic instruments in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) [1]. Interrupting the mechanical continuity of such system by having surgical instruments and laparoscopic camera magnetically coupled across the abdominal wall greatly enhances both the workspace of operation and triangulation without the need for multiple abdominal incisions [2]. On the other hand, continuum robots are able to provide a large amount of mechanical power to accomplish surgical tasks [3]. Focusing on the typical surgical task of suturing a tissue, 1 N of force in any direction and 180 deg per second rotational speed must be achieved throughout a 50 × 50 × 50 mm3 workspace [3].
In Ref. [4], the authors introduced the concept of local magnetic actuation (LMA),...
