An improved hybrid method for forward kinematics analysis of parallel robots

This paper combines a new structure of artificial neural networks (ANNs) with a 3rd-order numerical algorithm and proposes an improved hybrid method for solving forward kinematics problem (FKP) of parallel manipulators. In this method, an approximate solution of the FKP is first generated by the neural network. This solution is next considered as an initial guess for the 3rd-order numerical technique which solves the nonlinear forward kinematics equations and obtains the answer with a desired level of accuracy. To speed up the method, a new structure is proposed for designing the ANN which is called Same Class One Network. In this structure, the outputs of the ANN are classified into classes of similar variables with an individual network designed for each class. The proposed method is then applied to a planar 3-RPR parallel manipulator and a spatial 3-PSP parallel robot. The results show that using this method will lead to a 55% reduction in required iterations and a 20% reduction in the FKP analysis time, while maintaining a high level of solution accuracy.     

Certified solving of the forward kinematics problem with an exact algebraic method for the general parallel manipulator

This article introduces an exact method to solve the forward kinematics problem (FKP) specifically applied to spatial parallel manipulators. The majority can modeled by the 6-6 parallel manipulator. This manipulator is a hexapod made up of a fixed base and a mobile platform attached to six kinematics chains with linear (prismatic) actuators located between two ball or Cardan joints. In order to implement algebraic methods, the parallel manipulator kinematics will be formulated as polynomial equations systems where the equation number is equal to the unknown numbers. One position-based kinematics model will be identified to solve the difficult FKP. The selected proven algebraic method implements Gröbner bases and constructs an equivalent univariate polynomial system. The exact resolution of this last system determines the real solution which exactly corresponds to the manipulator postures. The FKP resolution of the general 6-6 parallel manipulator outputs 40 complex solutions. We provide several examples of various hexapod types yielding eight real solutions. This algebraic method is exact and computes certified results.     

Synthesis on forward kinematics problem algebraic modeling for the planar parallel manipulator: displacement-based equation systems

Based on a proven exact method which solves the forward kinematics problem (FKP) this article investigates the FKP formulation specifically applied to planar parallel manipulators. It focuses on the displacement-based equation systems. The majority of planar tripods can modeled by the 3-RPR parallel manipulator, which is a tripod constituted by a fixed base and a triangular mobile platform attached to three kinematics chains with linear (prismatic) actuators located between two revolute joints. In order to implement the algebraic method, the parallel manipulator kinematics are formulated as polynomial equation systems where the number of equations is equal to or exceeds the number of unknowns. Three geometrical formulations are derived to model the difficult FKP. The selected proven algebraic method uses Gröbner bases from which it constructs an equivalent univariate system. Then, the real roots are isolated using this last system. Each real solution exactly corresponds to one manipulator assembly mode, which is also called a manipulator posture. The FKP resolution of the planar 3-RPR parallel manipulator outputs six complex solutions which become a proven real solution number upper bound. In several typical examples, the resolution performances (computation times and memory usage) are given. It is then possible to compare the models and to reject one. Moreover, a number of real solutions are obtained and the corresponding postures drawn. The algebraic method is exact and produces certified results.     

仿人机器人轻型高刚性手臂设计及运动学分析

重点研究了7自由度轻型高刚性作业型仿人机器人手臂的机构设计和运动学分析方法.首先使用动力学仿真、有限元分析与实验测试相结合的方法,设计了仿人机器人手臂,该机械臂结构紧凑、质量轻、刚度高.同时,提出结合查询数据库和逆运动学计算去模仿人类手臂姿态,从而获得逆运动学最优解的方法.该方法不仅解决了冗余自由度带来的逆运动学多解问...     

Comparison of Different Methods for Computing the Forward Kinematics of a Redundant Parallel Manipulator

In this paper, three numerical methods are presented to solve the forward kinematics of a three DOF actuator-redundant hydraulic parallel manipulator. It is known, that on the contrary to series manipulators, the forward kinematic map of parallel manipulators involves highly coupled nonlinear equations, whose closed-form solution derivation is a real challenge. This issue is of great importance noting that the forward kinematics solution is a key element in closed loop position control of parallel manipulators. The proposed methods, namely the Neural Network Estimation, the Quasi-closed Solution, and the Taylor series approximation, are using mainly numerical computations, with different ideas to solve the problem in hand. The latter two methods are proposed for the first time in literature to solve the forward kinematics of a parallel manipulator. These methods are compared in detail and the advantages or the disadvantages of each method in computing the forward kinematic map of the given mechanism is discussed. It is shown that a 4th order Taylor series approximation to the problem provides a good compromise for practical applications compared to that of other methods considered in this paper.     

Forward and inverse kinematics of a 5-DOF hybrid robot for composite material machining

Hybrid robots consist of both serial and parallel mechanisms, which have advantages in stiffness and workspace compared with serial/parallel robots when machining composite material. However, the forward and inverse kinematics of hybrid robots generally do not have analytic solutions. This paper deals with the analytic forward and inverse kinematics solutions of a 5-degree-of-freedom (DOF) hybrid robot which consists with a 3-DOF 2UPU/SP parallel mechanism (PM) and a 2-DOF rotating head. In the forward kinematic problem, a method is proposed to transfer the high order kinematic equation to a 4th-order polynomial based on the Sylvester's dialytic elimination, and the analytic solutions can be further obtained by Ferrari's method. In the inverse problem, the redundant Euler angles expressed by four rotations are firstly proposed for decoupling different motions, then, the closed-form solution of inverse kinematics can be found. Finally, a simulation trajectory is given, and the result shows that the accuracy of the solutions’ calculation reaches femtometer grade and the efficiency reaches microsecond grade; furthermore, an experiment is performed on the prototype to validate the effectiveness of the proposed forward and inverse kinematics.     

Dynamic control of free-floating coordinated space robots

The position and force control of coordinated robots mounted on spacecraft, manipulating objects with closed kinematic chain constraints, represents an important class of control problem. In this article, the kinematics and dynamics of free-floating coordinated space robotic system with closed kinematic constraints are developed. An approach to position and force control of free-floating coordinated space robots with closed kinematic constraints is proposed for the first time. Unlike previous coordinated space robot control methods which are for open kinematic chains, the method presented here addresses the main difficult problem of control of closed kinematic chains. The controller consists of two parts, position controller and internal force controller, which regulate, respectively, the object position and internal forces between the object and end-effectors. The stability of the closed-loop coordinated robotic system is analyzed using the error models of the object position and internal forces. It is proved that the errors in the object position and internal forces asymptotically converge to zero under the assumption of exact kinematic and dynamic models. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

线驱动模块化七自由度机器人轨迹跟踪控制

阐述了一种线驱动与常规串联驱动相结合的混合设计方法．这种设计方法融合了线驱动并联机构和模块化串联机构的优点,而且混合驱动机器人的工作空间大于完全线驱动机器人的工作空间．文章首先介绍了混合驱动机器人的机构设计,也就是机器人的肩关节采用模块化串联结构,而肘、腕关节采用线驱动结构．然后利用几何分析的方法来解机器人前向运动学问题．在分析驱动线长与关节角之间变换关系的基础上,分别利用速度法和关节角增量法来计算机器人逆向运动学解．最后,使用VC++实现混合驱动机器人对直线运动轨迹进行跟踪的仿真,从而证明了文章所描述的设计方法的正确性．     

Design-by-Optimization and Control of Redundantly Actuated Parallel Kinematics Sliding Star

The paper deals with the design and control of an example of redundantly actuated parallel kinematic structure that can be a machine tool. The principle of redundant actuation brings parallel kinematic structures which do not have singular positions in workspace and which has increased dynamic, stiffness and accuracy properties. There is proposed a parallel kinematic structure called Sliding Star that has promising dynamic and stiffness properties. The conceptual design-by-optimization of this structure is briefly described. The redundantly actuated parallel kinematics have control problem due to mutual fighting of redundant drives. There is described the solution of this problem. Based on the investigated redundantly actuated parallel kinematics there has been built a laboratory prototype. The experimental results from the control of this prototype are briefly presented.     

The kinematic design of spatial,hybrid closed chains including planar parallelograms

It is presented an integral approach for the kinematic design of spatial, hybrid closed chains which include planar parallelograms into their kinematic structure. It is based on a systematic application of recursive formulae intended for describing the evolution of screws through time. Due to the particular nature of the proposed approach, it can be closely related with Lie algebras and allows to overcome the lacking of group structure offered by a parallelogram when it is going to be considered as a component of a hybrid closed chain. Several application examples are presented in order to show the potential of the proposed approach.     

TriM: An Ultra-Accurate High-Speed Six Degree-of-Freedom Manipulator Using Planar Stepper Motors

In this paper, we propose a novel six degree-of-freedom positioning system. This mechanism is a tripod structure with inextensible limbs actuated at the base by two-dimensional linear stepper motors (other types of actuators may also be utilized). This manipulator has a closed-chain kinematic structure. Both the direct and the inverse kinematics of the manipulator are presented in detail. While the inverse kinematics are obtained in closed form, the direct kinematics can not be solved in closed form and an algorithm is provided for numerically computing the direct kinematic solution. A detailed dynamic model of the positioning system is also provided. The dynamics of the actuators (Sawyer motors) are also included in the dynamic modeling. The design of the tripod manipulator (TriM) included a kinematic optimization of the system parameters to maximize the manipulator workspace. The proposed manipulator achieves large range of motion in all the 6 degrees of freedom. Furthermore, high resolution and high speed motion may be achieved in all axes due to the actuators used and the direct-drive nature of the manipulator. This work was supported in part by NSF under grants ECS-9977693 and ECS-0501539. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2003 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Las Vegas, NV, Oct. 2003.     

基于网络的飞行传感器仿真系统研究

提出了一种基于TCP／IP协议的传感器仿真系统,模拟无人机实际飞行中各类传感器的信导和电气特性,解决了全数字无人机飞行仿真系统中对飞机传感器进行实时仿真的问题。     

Driving simulator with double-wishbone suspension using efficient block-triangularized kinematic equations

When modeled with ideal joints, many vehicle suspensions contain closed kinematic chains, or kinematic loops, and are most conveniently modeled using a set of generalized coordinates of cardinality exceeding the degrees-of-freedom of the system. Dependent generalized coordinates add nonlinear algebraic constraint equations to the ordinary differential equations of motion, thereby producing a set of differential-algebraic equations that may be difficult to solve in an efficient yet precise manner. Several methods have been proposed for simulating such systems in real time, including index reduction, model simplification, and constraint stabilization techniques. In this work, the equations of motion for a double-wishbone suspension are formulated symbolically using linear graph theory. The embedding technique is applied to eliminate the Lagrange multipliers from the dynamic equations and obtain one ordinary differential equation for each independent acceleration. Symbolic computation is then used to triangularize a subset of the kinematic constraint equations, thereby producing a recursively solvable system for calculating a subset of the dependent generalized coordinates. Thus, the kinematic equations are reduced to a block-triangular form, which results in a more computationally efficient solution strategy than that obtained by iterating over the original constraint equations. The efficiency of this block-triangular kinematic solution is exploited in the real-time simulation of a vehicle with double-wishbone suspensions on both axles, which is implemented in a hardware- and operator-in-the-loop driving simulator.     

飞行模拟器的结构设计与仿真研究

飞行模拟器具有真实飞行训练无法比拟的优势,其结构设计是优化飞机设计,改善飞行性能的关键问题,故飞行模拟器的建模与仿真研究工作是飞行器设计的难点。通过与液压缸驱动的六自由度飞行模拟器对比分析,以3-RPS机构为基础,以在UG环境下建立的电动缸驱动的三自由度飞行模拟器运动平台模型为研究对象,在ADAMS/View模块下,对其添加约束和驱动后,进行了运动学特性仿真。对于给定的运动学特性曲线,运用ADAMS/Post Processor模块,对测量结果进行后处理,得到各种飞行姿态下的运动学曲线。仿真实验结果验证了该设计可实现升降、横滚、俯仰三种姿态的运动,且符合民航飞行模拟器的技术指标要求。上述分析过程为飞行模拟器的设计提供了一套有效的研究方法。     

2RPU_RPS并联机构运动学分析及仿真

从并联机构在实际应用中的运动控制出发,对2RPU_RPS构型的并联机构进行运动学分析及仿真。通过分析其结构约束条件,求解出机构的关节变量与末端姿态变量的关系,进而完成其逆运动学求解。在逆解的基础上,构建其正运动学模型。基于建立的运动学模型,分析其工作空间,并进行运动学仿真加以验证,为并联机构的实际应用提供理论指导。     

Efficient enforcement of hard articulation constraints in the presence of closed loops and contacts

In rigid body simulation, one must distinguish between contacts (so‐called unilateral constraints) and articulations (bilateral constraints). For contacts and friction, iterative solution methods have proven most useful for interactive applications, often in combination with Shock‐Propagation in cases with strong interactions between contacts (such as stacks), prioritizing performance and plausibility over accuracy. For articulation constraints, direct solution methods are preferred, because one can rely on a factorization with linear time complexity for tree‐like systems, even in ill‐conditioned cases caused by large mass‐ratios or high complexity. Despite recent advances, combining the advantages of direct and iterative solution methods wrt. performance has proven difficult and the intricacy of articulations in interactive applications is often limited by the convergence speed of the iterative solution method in the presence of closed kinematic loops (i.e. auxiliary constraints) and contacts. We identify common performance bottlenecks in the dynamic simulation of unilateral and bilateral constraints and are able to present a simulation method, that scales well in the number of constraints even in ill‐conditioned cases with frictional contacts, collisions and closed loops in the kinematic graph. For cases where many joints are connected to a single body, we propose a technique to increase the sparsity of the positive definite linear system. A solution to these bottlenecks is presented in this paper to make the simulation of a wider range of mechanisms possible in real‐time without extensive parameter tuning.     

Inverse kinematics of spherical wrist robot arms: Analysis and simulation

The spherical wrist robot arm is the most common type of industrial robot. This paper presents an efficient analytical computation procedure of its inverse kinematics. It is based on the decomposition of the inverse kinematic problem to two less complex problems; one concerns the robot arm basic structure and the other concerns its hand. The proposed computation procedure is used to obtain the inverse kinematic position models of two robot arms: one contains only revolute joints and the other contains both revolute and prismatic joints. The 1st and 2nd time derivatives of the obtained models give more accurate inverse kinematic velocity and acceleration models than numerical differentiation. These models are verified by simulation for two different trajectories. The obtained results demonstrate the effect of the proposed procedure on reducing the necessary computation time compared to other computation techniques.     

Synthesis of the forward kinematics problem algebraic modeling for the general parallel manipulator: displacement-based equations

This paper closes a triptic to address the issue of the forward kinematics problem (FKP) aimed at certified solving with an exact algebraic method. This solving method was described in the first article published in Advanced Robotics. The second one investigated the formulation specifically applied to the planar parallel manipulators. This third paper is the logical one in the footsteps of the formersones, since it continues the formulation analyses and brings them to the general spatial parallel manipulator. Hence, this paper focuses on the displacement-based equation systems. This paper is the first one to present a synthesis on forward kinematics modeling focusing on finding an optimal mathematical formulation based on the displacement-based equation systems. The majority of parallel manipulators in applications can be modeled by the 6-6 hexapod or so-called Gough platform which is constituted by a fixed base and a mobile platform attached to six kinematics chains with linear (prismatic) actuators located between two revolute or Cardan joints. Again, in order to implement algebraic methods, the parallel manipulator kinematics shall be formulated as polynomial equations systems where the equation number is at least equal to the unknown numbers. Six geometric formulations were derived. The selected algebraic proven method is implementing Gröbner bases from which it constructs an equivalent univariate polynomial system. The resolution of this last system exactly determines the real solutions which correspond to the manipulator postures. The FKP resolution of the general 6-6 parallel manipulator outputs 40 complex solutions. Several instantiations shall be computed in order to select the model which leads to the FKP resolution with the lowest response times and smaller file sizes. It was possible to reject three modelings leading to bad performances or resolution failure. It was possible to determine one formulation where the solving computations were definitely better than the others.     

结合MPGA-RBFNN的一般机器人逆运动学求解

针对一般机器人逆运动学求解过程中存在的求解速度慢、精度低的问题，将多种群遗传算法（multiple population genetic algorithm，MPGA）引入径向基函数神经网络（radial basis functions neural network，RBFNN），提出一种适用于一般机器人的高精度MPGA-RBFNN算法。该算法采用3层结构的RBFNN进行一般机器人逆运动学求解，结合一般机器人的正运动学模型，采用MPGA优化RBFNN的网络结构和连接权值的方法，同时应用混合编码和演化的方式，实现了从机器人工作空间位姿到关节角度的非线性映射，从而避免了复杂的公式推导并提高了求解速度。采用6R一般机器人作为实验平台进行实验，实验结果表明:MPGA-RBFNN算法不仅提高了一般机器人在逆运动学中的求解速度，而且MPGA-RBFNN算法的训练成功率和逆解的计算准确率也得到了提高。