GEOMETRY-BASED EFFICIENT RATE COORDINATION FOR MANIPULATORS WITH KINEMATIC REDUNDANCY

The redundancy resolution problem for kinematically redundant serial c hain manipulators is addressed. In this article we present a generaliz ation of the geometry-based rate allocation algorithm, developed initi ally for only a minimum norm solution, to obtain the optimal joint rat e solution for any specified objective function, with or without weigh tage. This generalization is made possible through a physial interpret ation of the common pseudoinverse-based gradient solution scheme, and by developing a modified formulation for the objective function as a m inimum criterion not with respect to the origin of the joint rate spat e, but with respect to another point in the joint rate space represent ed by the gradient of the specified objective. Application examples of the algorithm including procedures of solution are demonstrated using 7R manipulators with two generic types of geometry. Moreover, a close d form optimal solution for the class of 7R anthropomorphic arms is al so given. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.