Robotic Systems(5)

Dr Richard Crowder
School of Electronics and Computer Science
Workspace
Workspace is the volume that the
robot can operate in.
Function of the joints
Which have limited values
Either Revolute or Prismatic



Workspace Formal definition
W is the workspace
p(q), position for all joint values

k
= 1 for revolute and 0 for
prismatic
q
min
and q
max
are the joint limits
R
6
is tool space (Cartesian space)
R
n
is joint space (AKA
configuration space)


} { Q q : R p(q) W e e
6
d
) - (1 + q
k
k
k
k k

u
A
) q C q :
R
(q Q
max min
n
s s e A
Q represents the set of vectors of the robots
joint coordinates with respect the joint limits
Means defined as
Means a set of
Mapping
Tool Space Joint Space Actuator Space
Forward
Reverse
Inverse Kinematics
General properties
Tool tip must be within the workspace
Dexterous workspace is a subset of Reachable
workspace
A manipulator of less than 6 DoF cannot attain the general
goal solution (i.e. has restriction on orientation or reach).
Note to completely control the end effectors position and
orientation a minimum of 6 joints requires (6 DOF)
A clear understanding of the task requirements is required
in all cases (particularly for less than 6DoF manipulators)
Inverse Kinematic Problem: given location and
orientation of EE, find joint variables
Redundancy
When a manipulator can reach a point with more than one
configuration the manipulator is redundant.
The number of possible solutions is 2
n
where n is the
number of redundancies

Two solutions
Infinitely Redundant Manipulators
Manipulator has more than 6 DoF
Increased flexibility: e.g. operating in pipes, through holes
Space Station
Manipulator system
Degeneracy
Degeneracy occurs when control is lost over one or more
degrees of freedom.
Consider a wrist with co-linear (lying in the same straight
line)axis


Joint 3
Joint 2
Joint 1
Degeneracy
In this position the move shown can be undertaken by both
joint 1 and 3.
The possibility exist of one joint moving +180
o
and the
other -180
o
The position of the end effector does not change, but the
motion can be violent, leading to manipulator damage.
Solution to the problem
Avoid these position.
Place software limits into the system to lock one of
the joints when degeneracy is detected.
Inverse Kinematic Solution
Geometric decompose the problem into a number of
simple plane geometry problems-see Inverse Kinematics
Solutions using Conformal Geometric Algebra.pdf
Algebraic equate the elements in the [A] and [T]
matrices to give soluble equations.
Iterative approaches hill following
Neural Networks
Algebraic Approach
The approach to reverse kinematics is to equate the
variables in the [T] matrix with those in the tool space
matrix. Hence, all the elements in the tool matrix must
equal those of the forward kinematic equations:
(
(
(
(
(

=
(
(
(
(

=
1 0 0 0
C d
-
S a
-
S a
-
d C
-
S S C S
-
)
S d
-
C a
+
C a
(
S S S
-
C C
-
C S
-
C C
-
C S
)
S d
-
C a
+
C a
(
C S C
-
C S
+
S C C
-
S S
+
C C

p n m l
p n m l
p n m l
T
234 5 23 3 2 2 1 234 5 234 5 234
234 5 23 3 2 2 1 234 1 5 1 234 1 5 1 234 1
234 5 23 3 2 2 1 234 1 5 1 5 234 1 5 1 234 1
z z z z
y y y y
x x x x
1 0 0 0
] [
Position of the end effector
Atan2 Function
As the solutions contain sin
-1
and cos
-1
, uncertainties can
arise. These can be minimised by using the Atan2 function.



2
0 and ) tan(
0 ) sgn( ) (
0 ) sgn(
2
0 ) sgn(
) , ( 2 Atan
t
u u
u t
t
u
s s =

<
=
>
=
x
y
x y
x y
x y
x y
Note that cos
-1
(0) yields
two angles, -90 and +90,
which means two possible
solutions
Sign
Uniqueness of the solution
Consider a three axis planar robot four possible solutions






Right handed, Elbow down
Left handed, Elbow up
Elbow up
Right handed
Elbow down
Left handed

3
360-
3
360
2

1
+180

1
Robot's components

An industrial robot consists of "manipulator" which moves
and performs tasks, "controller" which actuates and
controls the manipulator, and "programming pendant"
which teaches the manipulator movement