DYNAMIC ANALYSIS A N D DESIGN OF ROBOT MANIPULATORS USING INERTIA ELLIPSOIDS HARUHI KO ASADA

Department o f Mechanical Engineering Laboratory f o r Manufacturing and Productivity Massachusetts I n s t i t u t e o f Technology Cambridge, MA 02139

U.S.A.

ABSTRACT
An analysis of robot arm dynamics and representing these dynamics suitable presented. The inert,ia ellipsoid,

a of

highly

nonlinear and coupled robot manipulator, on Orin [9] have developed simulations in which control strategies and

a graphical method
for computer aided design

of is

computer. Walker and

for

manipulator control system design,

which is used for graphically of a single rigid body, is extended series of rigid bodies such as a

algorit.hms are tested and evaluated using the dynamic which have been computed. Orlandea and Berenyi simulation program for mechanism dynamics

responses

representingthemassproperties

[lo] applied a
(ADAMS) to the
Ill] have

to a generalized ellipsoid for a

robot arm. By drawing the

Generalized Inertia Ellipsoid (GIE) on visualize the mass properties and

manipulat,or dynamics analysis. Thomas and Tesar analyzed the effect of joint t.orques on arm dynamics for selectingactuators.

computer a display, one can dynamic behaviour robot aof manipulator. This method applied to

in order to

is
arm; the dimensions
of

est.imate t.hP torquerequirements

aid the design of a mechanical mass distribution

Recent progress has enabled the arm structure and its basis of the evaluation graphicsterminal. not a simple
are optimized on the

us generate to the dynamic efficiently andhasmadeavariety designing robot a

is

equations of robotmanipulators of the arm dynamics displayed on a of simulation techniques

possible. However,

process because of the highly nonlinear and conpled We need a way of representing the
so thattheycan
be easily

structure. dynamics of the

1, Introduction

manipulatoritruct,ureanditsdynamics understood by thedesignerand

so thatthestructuralmodifications

Robot manipulators have complicated dynamic behaviour includinginteractionsbetweenmultiplejoints,nonlineareffectssuch as Coriolis andcentrifugal forces, andvaryinginertiadepending Designing robotic a manipulator needs modeling for and analyzing such complicated been number a of papers reported which in either on

necessary to improve the dynamics

of the arm are apparent. is that,since the

drawback of most current simulation techniques dynamic models contain are configuration dependent, it dynamics in way a which comprehended. long, the designer cannot modifications. may not be

so many variables and parameters

which

the arm configuration. efficient tools

is difficult to represent the arm

is both comprehensive and yet

easily
is

dynamics. There have

computation time Also, if the easily

for the simulation

dealwithmodelingandanalysis Lagrangianformalisms

of manipulatordynamics

try out many designs and

[l

41 or Newton-Eulers formalisms[5
is possible tosimulatetheresponse

81.

For these reasons, current simulation techniques

efficient tools for designing and evaluating
robot

Using thesedynamicmodelsit

94

CH2008-1/84/0000/0094$01.0001984IEEE

manipulators.

W i = C J F Jb . i .
j=1

The goal of this paper modeling and design with

is to fill the void between dynamic a new analytical tool which provides
a

vi=cbj;j
j=1

representation of the dynamic characteristics Thisanalyticaltoolcanthenbeappliedtotheefficient evaluation of arobotarm.Theinertia for representingthemassproperties applied and extended which consists to the dynamic

of manipulator. a
design and

In case of articulated joints, vector in the direction of thej-thjoint between a position vector

a. is a unit vector pointing

axis, and b. is thevectorproduct
a . , as shown in
I

ellipsoid [12], which is used of a single rigid body, will be

r{ and the unit vector

Figure 1. Substituting eq. (2) into eq. (l), thetotalkineticenergy st.ored intothe series of rigidbodies is then given by

a analysis of manipulator

of a series

of rigid bodies. This method, combined

T
easily

= -

1.

2 with computer graphics, provides comprehensive a and comprehendedrepresentation manipulator.

etHe

of thedynamicbehaviour

of a robot

2. Kinetic Energy [2,3,11]

The inertia intoa

ellipsoid is associated with

the kinetic energy stored

rigid body. In thissection,

we derive the expression for the which consists

of a series of rigid

kinetic energy

of amanipulator

from n the base to the tip (Figure bodies numbered 0 to Motion o f a single rigid body respect toitscenter us denote the

1).

is decomposed t o a translation with

of mass andarotationaboutthiscenter.Let
the angular of translation by vi and kinetic energy t h a tt h et t h

velocity

the velocity of rotation by wi. Then body has is given by

1 Ti = - Miv;v. 2 I
where M and I

+ - w.~I.w.
2
I

(1)

Fig. 1

Manipulator

are the mass and inertia tensor respectively, where

vi and wi are 3x1 vectors and represents the transpose of a

a vector or matrix. constrained in motion

and

H are an

n-dimensional vector and a

nxn

Each body in a series of rigid bodies

duetothe linkage. Motion
of body i

is symmetricmatrix given by

, for
H =

6 = col( el, ...,on

n
i= 1

. .)

example, is rrlatedtothemovement

of precedingjoints

1 through

C(A;I~A~ + M~B;B~)
,..., ai$,...,0 1

i . Let us denotethedisplacement

of joint i by Oi and its timevelocity

derivative by Bi thenthetranslationalvelocityandangular

Ai = [ al
Bi =

of body i are given by the followinglinearcombinahions

of Bjs

b, ,...., b,O,...,0 ]

95

The kinetic energy

of a series of rigid

bodies can also be one-

represented in any generalized coordinates,ql, ...,qn , thathave to-one correspondence to a set within a specified region inverse the
of joint displacements,

01, ...,On,

in the joint

Coordinate space. Let associat.ed with the

R be

of Jacobian the matrix

transformationfrom

8 to q=col( ql, ...,q, ) thenthekineticenergy

represented in generalized coordinates is givenby

T
where thematrix

- q"Gq
2

1.

rn

(4)

G is given by G= RtHR

We callthesymmetricmatrixthe
series of rigid bodies.

generalized inertiatensor

of a

Fig. 2
3. Generalized Inertia Ellipsold

Generalized inertia ellipsoid for two-degree-of-freedom arm

frrcdom rnanipulat,or

is illust,ratrd in space.

In most cases,

we are of with

mounted interest(4 in the motion of an end effector the arm. Therefore

atthetip

we investigate the manipulntor dynamics being referred to a

tip motion respett. l o the system fixed in space. First,

Cartesian coordinate generalized inertia bhe

we obtain the

Computing tensor in terms of the Cartesian coordinates, eigenvaluesandeigenvectors its center at the
of thetensor,

we drawa

G E locat,ing
in

location of the arm tip

in space, as shown

Figure 2. Thedoband-dash

lines in the figure shows ellipsoid of

thereachable
a single rigid

region of thearmtip.UnlikeIheinertia body,the

GIE variesitsconfigurationdepending
We draw the

on the locationin

the generalized coordinate system. reachable point in the The ~11.: has principal axes along ciiagonal. T h e principal axes which the inertia tensor
o f the GIE are aligned with the is

GIE a t each

region so thatthe

global characteristics of

thearminertiacanberepresented

in the whole.

In the following sections, a graphicalanalysis dynamics using the

of themanipulator

eigenvectors of thematrix is thereciprocal

G, andthelength

of eachprincipalaxis

GIE will shown. be

The geometrical of the

of thesquareroot

of thecorrespondingeigenvalue.

configuration of the GIE depicts the characterist.ic features manipulatordynamics.

an example, Figure 2 shows

in which the GIE of a two-degree-of-

96

1 T = - w t vector' 2

1
Wvector =

- nt I n
2

w2scalar =

I W2scalar 2

axis. For motions with

the same kinetic energy the of the axis. minor

velocity is other the On of the

minimum if it is in direction the hand, the

generalized moment of inertia in the direction

where I is thematrix is called the moment aboveequation

of inertiatensorandthescalarquantityI major axis is the smallest; therefore, the speed of inertia about the axis of vector n. of inertiacanbedefined namely the GIE is a puresphere, bhe resultantinertia of the major and
of the resultant inertia. The shape is fastest in that

The direct,ion. If the lengths of the principal axes are the same, is isotropic. minor axes
of

implies thatthemoment

by the expression: I= 2T/w2scalar.

We extend this

expression to The difference between the lengths stands for the anisot,ropy

a scries of rigid bodies.

To this end,

it is necessary that there speed of multi-degree-ofthe GIE, in Figure 2, is long and narrow in theperipheries in the center. Therefore, in the center than
at the

e.sists ascalarquantitythatmeasuresthe freedom motion, as for the moment

of the

we needed the scalar angular of inertia of a single rigid body. can be defined

velocity wsaelar rearhablc region, and thick and round In this section, the rcsulhnt inertia
is more isotropic

we assumc the following velocity norm gcmcralizcd coordinat,es.'

in the peripheries. At point radial dircction.

S in the figure, the arm cannot move

a point. The point S is known as singular line, when thetip

in the The
of the

GlE becomes thinnerandconvergestoa arm approaches the singular point. The width In the case of Figure 2, the velocity normstands of the arm tip with base coordinates. reference to the t,he expression; I= to a 2T/wZscalar the moment for the speed representsthedegree In of the
of singularity.

of the GIE

accordance with

inrrtis can be generalized fo!lowing esprpssion,

series of rigid bodies by

5. Nonlinear Forces

The motion of a mechanical arm is highly nonlinear including Coriolis and centrifugal depending T h e generalized moment of inertia h varies direction
Of

forces. In

t.his section, these nonlinear generalized If the principal axes inertia of the

on the

forccs are analyzed geometrically using the ellipsoid. We

motion as

well as the location

in the generalized

fix a point

A in space.

coordinates. Our questions are; inertia and problems. how much

it is.

which direction gives the largest This problem is a kind of eigenvalue

of h is

N E , a t A, are used as
of thearm diagonal with

thecoordinateaxestodescribethemotion
of the point,thentheinertiatensor

in the vicinity

is

The solution is that the maximum (minimum)

referenee to .these

axes.

Let D A be the diagonal of G , X, ,..., to

the maximum (minimum) eigenvalue direction in which direction of

of matrix G and that the

matrix whose diagonal elements are the eigenvalues

h is maximum (minimum)

is aligned with the Since the largest axis

Of

X,,

andlet

;=cot(

bl, ...,bn ) bethe

generalizedvelocityreferred

t.he corresponding eigenvector.

theprincipalaxes,thekineticenergy
1
2

is then given by

eigenvalue of the inertia tensor corresponds to the minor

the GIE, the generalized moment of inertia is maximumalongthat

T=

97

The diagonal components correspond tensor GB, which The second term represents the inertia interaction along the principal forces caused by by the change axes. forces which Thethirdtermstands have no
for the

of DB are the eigenvalues

01 the

to the lengths

of the principal

axes

and determine the shape represents the rotation Therefore, the change

of the GIE.

The orthonormal matrix

of the Gffi and determines its orientation.

of GIE configuration is classified into the

in the inertia tensor,

which are given

change in shape andthechange

3.

in orientation, as shown in Figure of lengths along the

The former is described by the change

principalaxes,andthelatter the principal axes. changes from

is described by rotationanglesabout

If the length of the principal axis slightly

to

+Uj

as shown in Figure s a , the diagonal

matrixchangesas

follows,

On the other hand, the othonormal matrix

rotation of the GtE from A to B. Let rotation in theplanethat p. andp.,measured includesthe

C stands for the

Wrj

be a small angle j-thprincipalaxes,

of

i-th and

from thepi

to thepj,theorthonormalmatrix

thatrepresentstherotation

is given by,

C =

1 -6O,, WI2 1

... -6& ......

........
...... 1
(13) into (11) and neglecting the of the inertia tensor,

Fig. 3

Change of GIE configuration

Substit.ut,ing eqs.(l2) and

The force

F , consists of forces proportionaltotheproducts

is nonlinear.

of

higher-order small quantities, the change

velocities,henceit

6D,=G,

D,,

is then given by

Since the varying inertia tensor yields the nonlinear forces, mentioned above, the nonlinearity can be analyzed the geometrical change in the GIE configuration.

as

by investigating
As shown in

6D, =

Figure 3, the GIE changes its configuration, from A to B. Let GB betheinertiatensor referred to theprincipalaxesatpoint

while thearm

moves Now we discuss principal axis.

;=cd(O,

of the GIE a t point B,

the case where The velocity vector in

the arm

moves along case this

the Cth is

A, then GB is standardized

to adiagonalmatrix

D, by

anorthonormalmatrix

C.
(11)

....O,;,,O,

...0).

This motioncauses

the following nonlinear

GB = CD,Ct

force.

Substituting eq.(14) to eq.(lO),

98

FN

where a+../api principal axis changes

is thecurvature

of a curve along

which the Cth

i t s direction, and

aX,/ap, represents the axis. From moves

change of the GIE in terms of the length of thebth the Cth component in eq.(15)it in thedirection

follows that, when thearm

of the Gth principal axisalongwhich force

Che length of acts on

the axis becomes longer, a nonlinear thearm in the same direction

b:/2.aXi/api

as thearm

motion. force 2 / : ;

Also from the

Vhi/apj acts

j t h componentit

follows that anonlinear

Fig. 4 Dimensions and mass distribution of two d . 0 . f . arm

in the direction of t h ej t h varies along t h ej t h

axis as the length of the Cth axis if the GIE rotates in p.-p. I J actsalongthebthaxis. of the GIE orientationare if the depicts the global characteristics whole.

axis and that,

of manipulator dynamics

as a

plane,anonlinearforce Thenonlinear

(xi-hj)a+ij/api.;:

From the graphical representation, one can understand the

forces duetothechange

inertial effect and nonlinearities characteristicfeatures of thearm.

of mechanical arms,

which are

proportionaltothe

difference of the eigenvalues. Therefore, forces donotappear.

In thissection,thistechnique
arm. The inertial

is
effects useful

GIE is isotropic,thosenonlinear

In the case

applied to the design of mechanical a andnonlinearitiesdepicted

of Figure 3, thenonlinearforcesshown major The length of the manipulator motions along this Therefore, positive a force axis, while thetip

in the figurearedeveloped.

by the GIE configurationprovide

of thearm.

axis, in Figure S a , is increasing for axis. That means -Vh,/ap,

d a t a for designing the structure

0.

We discuss

thearm

>

and mass distributions shown in Figure 4, where the dimensions aredescribedby the following parameters,

-(aX1/ap1);)12/2 moves along the axis.

acts along

the major
11,12 = l i n k l e n g t h s

On theotherhand,the
the

of bodies 1 and 2
of massand th

GIE in Figure 3-b rotates in the counterclockwise direction in

pl-p2plane,wherethelength of the p,axis

g1,g2

= d i s t a n c e sb e t w e e nt h ec e n t e r s

is longer thanthep2

11,12 = moments of i n e r t i a

axis. Therefore, positive a force -(x,-h2)(a+12/apl)~,2 acts along the p2 axis,while the tip movesalongthemajoraxis.

ml, 3 ' mass

Figure 2 shows

when the GIE configuration

the arm

has the

6 . Design of a Mechanleal Arm

samelengthfortheupperandthe listed in the figure.

lower arms with theparameters follows that the

From this configuration, it following problems

The GIE configuration represented

generalized in coordinates

arm dynamics have the

(1) The large difference the minor axes shows the tip

in axial lengths

between the major and of inertia at on the direction

The Jacobianmatrixassociatedwith jointcoordinatestothebasecoordinates

t.he transformation from the is given by

that the

generalized moment

of the arm varies significantly depending

of motion.

(2) Since the changes

of the GIE configuration, both

in shape

and in orientation, is significantly large, largenonlinearforccs.

the arm dynamics involve The generalizedinertiatensorwithrespect is derived from substituting the above equations into tothetip of thearm eq.(4). is isotropic in the base should have same the
of the matrix must

In

By modifying the link lengths and the distribution

trytoimprovethearmdynamics

of mass, we

order that the coordinates, matrix the eigenvalue. Namely,

generalized inertia tensor

so thatthe

generalized moment of
as well.

G=RtHR
the components

of inert,ia is uniform in any direction over wide a range

reachable region and the nonlinear forces are reduced in thereachable

satisfy

If

the following equations,

G,=G,

the GIE is apurecircleatanypoint arm is isotropic and isotropic configuration reduces arm. Therefore the improvement expected. It

region, the

G3=0

has no nonlinearity. This uniform and

the complexity in controlling of control performance can be of the
G=

the

where

is also desirable for painting robots because of the painting robots are

following reason. Namely, most controlled

:: ::1
+ 90 deg

in teach-in-playback mode, where

a human operator

shows an exemplary motion the tip

by moving thespraygunmountedat In

of the arm, and then the robot repeats the motion. good data from the operators motion, the arm impede operators the motion.

order to acquire must not

e1-e2 =
has

If
on

the arm the moving

significantly different characteristics depending nonlinearities, direction as well as large the operators to motion accurately. Therefore, uniform and

the arm does not respond

The firstequationshows isotropic characteristics desirable. are From Figure generalized inertia tensor with respect given by to the joint coordinates
4,

thatthe

isotropicdynamicsare bending angle

realized of the

the when the arm configuration is from forearm is 90 degrees the lower arm. In the second equation, of inertiaaboutthefirstjoint of the is such thatthe

HI representstheresultantmoment
H1=Il+m1gl2ll2
H,=&+?g;

H3=m,I,g2cos( B,-B,

a.xis, when the mass lower arm, and

of the forearm is lumped atthetip

H, is the resultant moment

second joint that the ratio
I , -

of inertia of the

where

forearm about the condition requires both axes must

axis.

Therefore the

second

of the resultant inertias about of the link lengths.

equaltothesquaredratio

Fig. 5

Modified GIE configuration 1

(isotropic on center line)

Fig. 6. Modified GIE configuration I1 (isotropic and uniform) l1 = 0.4m, 12 = 0.6m, g l = 0, gl = 0.42m m l = 50Kg,r n = ~ 30Kg,Il = 1.552Kgm2,1~ = 9Kgm2

Figure 5 shows a modified design, the brokenlineonwhich

90 degrees.

wherethe

GIE is isotropic on
7. Conclusion of the secondjoint is

thebendingangle

The configuration of the GIE, however, changes thepure circles to longandnarrow peripheries. ellipses when The rapid change and of the

geometrical representation to the

of

manipulator dynamics was arm. The of a

rapidlyfrom

presented and applied inertia ellipsoid, single rigid body, of series a

design of mechanical a

arm moves from

the center to the

which is used torepresenttheinertiatensor was extended to a mechanical arm that consists the inertia

of the GIE configuration leads

to large nonlinear forces

unbalanced inertia characteristics. The dynamic characteristics thearmcanbe improvedbyenlarging

of thereachable

of multiple bodies. Uqlike

ellipsoid of a

the region ofisotropic

GIE

single body, the generalized inertia configuration depending on the location the global characteristics

its ellipsoid (GIE) changes

of thearm.

t.o includemore

region.

As theangular

difference the GIE

In orderthat

of the second joint from

becomes slender. Therefore, we limit smaller range where the time, we extend the larger region with

90 degrees becomes larger, the bending angle

of the changeable inertial effects can be

to a

representation understood in the whole, a graphical

to depictthe
The

GIE is almost isotropic. At the same

link length of body 2 so that it covers a

GIE configuration in generalized coordinates was presented.

relat.ion between the features

the of the GIE configuration and in terms of

the small bending angle. Figure

6 shows the

dynamics were analyzed characteristics of manipulator resultant inertia and nonlinear resultant inertia, forces.

modified configuration, where the uniform over the wide range

GIE is almost isotropic and

of the reachable region. The

It was found that the in geralized of the

measure which is a

of inertial effect

improvement is noticeable.

axis coordinates, is maximum in the direction of the minor

GIE.

The nonlinear forces are caused by the change The presented graphical analysis
of

of the GIE the manipulator of robot a arm. were modified

so

1 6 1 JJuh, J.Y.S., Walker, M.W., and

Paul, R.P.C.,

"On-Line

configurat,ion.

Cornyutational Scheme

Mechanical for Manipulators", ASME

dynamics was applied The lengths that the arm has

to the mechanical design

Systems, Measurement, and Control, Vol. 102, Journal of Dynamic

of links and their mass distribution

isotropic inertia characteristics as

No. 2, pp. 69-76, 1980.

well as less

non1inearit.y. An example of designing a two-degree-of-freedom arm verified the efficiency of the presented approach.

I:[

Orin, D.E., hlcGhee, R.B., et.

al., "Kinematic and

Kinet.ic

Analysis of Open-Chain Linkages LJtiliring Newton-Euler Methods", hlatllernatical Biosciences, No. 43, pp. 107-130, 1979.

Acknowledgement

[i?] Pennock,

G.R., and Yang,

A.T., "Dynamic Analysis System", ASME Journal

of a of

Multi-Rigid-Body Open-Chsin

Mechanisms: Transmissions, and Automation NO. 1, pp. 28-34, 1983.

in Design, Vol, 105,

191 Walker, h.I.W., and Orin,

D.E., "Efficient Dynamic

Computer

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