Kinematic analysis of a flexible six-DOF parallel mechanism.

In this paper, a new type of six-degrees of freedom (DOF) flexible parallel mechanism (FPM) is presented. This type of parallel mechanism possesses several favorable properties: (1) its number of DOFs is independent of the number of serial chains which make up the mechanism; (2) it has no kinematical singularities; (3) it is designed to move on rails, and therefore its workspace is much larger than that of a conventional parallel manipulator; and (4) without changing the number of DOFs and the kinematics of the mechanisms, the number of the serial chains can be reconfigured according to the needs of the tasks. These properties make the mechanism very preferable in practice, especially for such tasks as joining huge ship blocks, in which the manipulated objects vary dramatically both in weights and dimensions. Furthermore, the mechanism can be used as either a fully actuated system or an underactuated system. In the fully actuated case, the mechanism has six DOF motion capabilities and manipulation capabilities. However, in the underactuated case, the mechanism still has six DOF motion capabilities, but it has only five DOF manipulation capabilities. In this paper, both the inverse and forward kinematics are studied and expressed in a closed form. The workspace and singularity analysis of the mechanism are also presented. An example is presented to illustrate how to calculate the kinematics of the mechanism in both fully-actuated and underactuated cases. Finally, an application of such a mechanism to manufacturing industry is introduced.     

A dual step precision multi-DOF stage for maskless digital lithography

A design and implementation of a dual step position align stage for digital exposure process and analytical analysis of the presented hardware architecture are introduced in this paper. A mobile plate of the proposed dual step position align stage is connected to its base with four independent dual degree of freedom (DOF) decoupled actuator assembly. The dual DOF decoupled actuator assembly is driven with a brushless DC motor, two pneumatic locking devices, and four kinematic mechanisms. Thanks to the dual degree of freedom independent actuation unit combined with pneumatic locking device, the proposed mechanism provides fully decoupled vertical and horizontal motions. The design specification for the operational accuracy and the repeatability are determined by the primitive digital pattern generation scheme based upon a point array method. A kinematic formulation using a geometric approach is provided for the proposed dual step position align mechanism. In addition a numerical simulation for the mechanism is also carried out and a series of system testing is followed.     

基于止血机制的冗余并联机器人精准容错控制

冗余并联机器人具有冗余容错能力,能在局部故障的情况下继续工作.而设备的机械间隙无法完全避免,并且较难建立精准的机械间隙模型,因此基于运动学冗余的常规容错方法较难实现精准容错控制.基于生理止血调控机制,考虑冗余并联机器人控制特性和机械间隙因素,提出一种新颖的精准容错控制器.与止血机制类似,该控制器不但能够进行子通道误差优化,而且能进行全局故障辨识和容错补偿.利用2-DOF冗余并联机器人进行了真实实验.结果表明,提出的精准容错控制器的控制精度和容错能力均比传统控制器有较大提高.     

Kinematic analysis of a novel 3-DOF actuation redundant parallel manipulator using artificial intelligence approach

Kinematic analysis is one of the key issues in the research domain of parallel kinematic manipulators. It includes inverse kinematics and forward kinematics. Contrary to a serial manipulator, the inverse kinematics of a parallel manipulator is usually simple and straightforward. However, forward kinematic mapping of a parallel manipulator involves highly coupled nonlinear equations. Therefore, it is more difficult to solve the forward kinematics problem of parallel robots. In this paper, a novel three degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) actuation redundant parallel manipulator is introduced. Different intelligent approaches, which include the Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural network, Radial Basis Functions (RBF) neural network, and Support Vector Machine (SVM), are applied to investigate the forward kinematic problem of the robot. Simulation is conducted and the accuracy of the models set up by the different methods is compared in detail. The advantages and the disadvantages of each method are analyzed. It is concluded that ν-SVM with a linear kernel function has the best performance to estimate the forward kinematic mapping of a parallel manipulator.     

Kinematic analysis of the 3-CUP parallel mechanism

This paper investigates the kinematics of a parallel mechanism that is composed of three identical CUP legs evenly distributed on the fixed base. The platform of the mechanism has three degrees-of-freedom, namely: two rotations and one translation along the axis perpendicular to the base. The paper obtains closed form solutions for the inverse and forward kinematics problems. Furthermore, the Jacobian matrix is determined in order to solve the instantaneous kinematics analysis. It is used for the identification of the singular configurations of the mechanism, which are investigated by applying screw theory. The parasitic motions of the platform are determined by means of a workspace analysis. This paper uses several simulations and numerical examples to prove the accuracy of the analytical results.     

Kinematic and dynamic design and optimization of a parallel rehabilitation robot

In this paper, a method for concurrent optimum design of a complex parallel manipulator is introduced. The manipulator is a three-degree-of-freedom mechanism used as a walking rehabilitation device. The proposal deals with several optimization issues; firstly, the methodology is applied to a system recently designed and, in the best of our knowledge, the control policy, and dynamic model have not been published before, secondly, we propose an objective function which considers dexterity and singular manipulators, as well as energy and position error, and thirdly, we propose an optimization algorithm which successfully approximates the optimum solution, delivering low-cost feasible designs with fewer function evaluations than a comparing Genetic Algorithm. A set of numerical simulations validate the methodology and evidence its robustness since it delivers quite similar designs in several independent executions.

     

Kinematic design optimization of a parallel ankle rehabilitation robot using modified genetic algorithm

Rehabilitation robotics is an evolving area of active research and recently novel mechanisms have been proposed to reinstate complex human movements. Parallel robots are of particular interest to researchers since they are rigid and can provide enough load capacity for human joint movements. This paper proposes a soft parallel robot (SPR) for ankle joint rehabilitation. Kinematic workspace analysis is carried out and the singularity criterion of the SPR’s Jacobian matrix is used to define the feasible workspace. A global conditioning number (GCN) is defined using the Jacobian matrix as a performance index for the evaluation of the robot design. An optimization problem is formulated to minimize the GCN using modified genetic algorithm (GA). Results from simple GA and modified GA are compared and discussed. As a result of the optimization, an optimal robot design is obtained which has a near unity GCN with almost uniform distribution in the entire feasible workspace of the robot.     

Kinematic design of a 6-DOF parallel manipulator with decoupled translation and rotation

A new three-limb, six-degree-of-freedom (DOF) parallel manipulator (PM), termed a selectively actuated PM (SA-PM), is proposed. The end-effector of the manipulator can produce 3-DOF spherical motion, 3-DOF translation, 3-DOF hybrid motion, or complete 6-DOF spatial motion, depending on the types of the actuation (rotary or linear) chosen for the actuators. The manipulator architecture completely decouples translation and rotation of the end-effector for individual control. The structure synthesis of SA-PM is achieved using the line geometry. Singularity analysis shows that the SA-PM is an isotropic translation PM when all the actuators are in linear mode. Because of the decoupled motion structure, a decomposition method is applied for both the displacement analysis and dimension optimization. With the index of maximal workspace satisfying given global conditioning requirements, the geometrical parameters are optimized. As a result, the translational workspace is a cube, and the orientation workspace is nearly unlimited.     

One-step maskless grayscale lithography for the fabrication of 3-dimensional structures in SU-8

We propose a novel and simplified method to fabricate complex 3-dimensional structures in SU-8 photoresist using maskless grayscale lithography. The proposed method uses a Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD^®) to modulate the light intensity across a single SU-8 photoresist layer. Top and back-side exposure are implemented in the fabrication of original structures such as cantilevers, covered channels with embedded features and arrays of microneedles. The fabrication of similar structures in SU-8 with other techniques often requires complex physical masks or the patterning of several stacked layers. The effects of critical process parameters such as software mask design, exposure and developing conditions on the quality of 3-D structures are discussed. A number of applications using bridges, cantilevers and micromixers fabricated using this methodology are explored.     

Kinematic control of redundant free-floating robotic systems

This paper is aimed at presenting solution algorithms to the inverse kinematics of a space manipulator mounted on a free-floating spacecraft. The reaction effects of the manipulator's motion on the spacecraft are taken into account by means of the so-called generalized Jacobian. Redundancy of the system with respect to the number of task variables for spacecraft attitude and manipulator end-effector pose is considered. Also, the problem of both spacecraft attitude and end-effector orientation representation is tackled by means of a non-minimal singularity-free representation: the unit quaternion. Depending on the nature of the task for the spacecraft/manipulator system, a number of closed-loop inverse kinematics algorithms are proposed. Case studies are developed for a system of a spacecraft with a six-joint manipulator attached.     

Kinematic analysis of a 3-PRS parallel manipulator

Although the current 3-PRS parallel manipulators have different methods on the arrangement of actuators, they may be considered as the same kind of mechanism since they can be treated with the same kinematic algorithm. A 3-PRS parallel manipulator with adjustable layout angle of actuators has been proposed in this paper. The key issues of how the kinematic characteristics in terms of workspace and dexterity vary with differences in the arrangement of actuators are investigated in detail. The mobility of the manipulator is analyzed by resorting to reciprocal screw theory. Then the inverse, forward, and velocity kinematics problems are solved, which can be applied to a 3-PRS parallel manipulator regardless of the arrangement of actuators. The reachable workspace features and dexterity characteristics including kinematic manipulability and global dexterity index are derived by the changing of layout angle of actuators. Simulation results illustrate that different tasks should be taken into consideration when the layout angles of actuators of a 3-PRS parallel manipulator are designed.     

Fabrication of sealed nanofluidic channels using site-selective direct write (maskless) X-ray lithography

Sealed nanofluidic channels with cross-sections as small as 60 nm × 60 nm were created in polymer bilayers using the focused X-rays of a scanning transmission X-ray microscope. These structures were then characterized by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectromicroscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The cross-sectional area of the nanochannels could be tuned by adjusting the area patterned in x and y and/or manipulating the bottom layer thickness. The maximum length was found to be limited by the efficiency of excavation of patterned material out of the channel, and the stability of the polymer overlayer which seals the channel. Schemes toward interfacing these nanochannels with conventional microfluidics are discussed.     

Kinematic calibration of a 2-DOF translational parallel manipulator

Two types of kinematic calibration method for a 2-DOF (degrees of freedom) translational parallel manipulator are proposed using different error models. A calibration experiment is performed on both methods using an Absolute Laser Tracker and the results are compared. Two error models of the 2-DOF translational parallel manipulator are established using differential method and linear perturbation method, respectively. The two error models are solved using both the least squares method and linear equations. The results for the two different calibration methods show that the error model based on differential method is more effective in improving the accuracy of the 2-DOF translational parallel manipulator. Overall, the absolute position error of the 2-DOF translational parallel manipulator is significantly reduced to 0.13?mm from 0.93?mm after kinematic calibration.     

Kinematic control of redundant robot manipulators: A tutorial

In this paper, we present a tentatively comprehensive tutorial report of the most recent literature on kinematic control of redundant robot manipulators. Our goal is to lend some perspective to the most widely adopted on-line instantaneous control solutions, namely those based on the simple manipulator's Jacobian, those based on the local optimization of objective functions in the null space of the Jacobian, those based on the task space augmentation by additional constraint tasks (with task priority), and those based on the construction of inverse kinematic functions.     

Kinematic analysis of a new 5-DOF modular parallel robot for brachytherapy

Cancer represents one of the main causes of the death. Huge efforts have been made by the scientific community to provide better cancer treatment solutions. An innovative option is the brachytherapy (BT), a local radiation technique for cancer treatment, which enables the delivery of high doses of radiation inside the tumors. BT usage is limited by the insufficient accuracy of the radioactive seeds placement. In order to eliminate these limitations, the authors propose an innovative modular structure which would enable the precise positioning of the BT needles in any part of the patient body. The paper presents the kinematic modeling of the new 5-DOF robotic structure. The workspace analysis and the singularities are studied and the dexterous workspace for a given insertion point inside the patient is also shown. Finally, some numerical simulations of different BT needle trajectories are included.     

Energy efficient redundant configurations for real-time parallel reliable servers

Modular redundancy and temporal redundancy are traditional techniques to increase system reliability. In addition to being used as temporal redundancy, with technology advancements, slack time in a system can also be used by energy management schemes to save energy. In this paper, we consider the combination of modular and temporal redundancy to achieve energy efficient reliable real-time service provided by multiple servers. We first propose an efficient adaptive parallel recovery scheme that appropriately processes service requests in parallel to increase the number of faults that can be tolerated and thus system reliability. Then we explore schemes to determine the optimal redundant configurations of the parallel servers to minimize system energy consumption for a given reliability goal or to maximize system reliability for a given energy budget. Our analysis results show that small requests, optimistic approaches, and parallel recovery favor lower levels of modular redundancy, while large requests, pessimistic approaches and restricted serial recovery favor higher levels of modular redundancy.

Kinematic control of redundant robots and the motion optimizabilitymeasure

This paper treats the kinematic control of manipulators with redundant degrees of freedom. We derive an analytical solution for the inverse kinematics that provides a means for accommodating joint velocity constraints in real time. We define the motion optimizability measure and use it to develop an efficient method for the optimization of joint trajectories subject to multiple criteria. An implementation of the method for a 7-dof experimental redundant robot is present.     

Optimal design of a parallel mechanism with three rotational degrees of freedom

This paper presents the concept design of a pose-adjustment system applied in the large fuselage or wing assembly of aircraft manufacturing which including a 3-degree-of-freedom rotational parallel mechanism (3-DoFs RPM), pogo columns and three tracks. The optimal design of the 3-DoFs RPM with its topology a 3-PUS&S mechanism is detailed, which is designed as a rigid yet compact module that can act as a pose-adjustment mechanism moving along three long tracks for large aircraft structural component assembly, a middle fuselage for example. Inverse kinematics of the 3-DoFs RPM with the exponential product method is achieved to lay the foundation for its kinematic synthesis. Next, with the commercial mathematical software, one can get the reachable workspace and define the prescribed workspace, respectively. Then, dimensional synthesis of the 3-DoFs RPM is executed to achieve a relatively good kinematic performance within its workspace. With the commercial CAE software, stiffness analysis is carried out for performance evaluation of the 3-DoFs RPM virtual prototype.