DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF MOBILITY AND GRASPABILITY OF GENERAL MANIPULATIONSYSTEMS

We present a geometric approach to the dynamic analysis of manipulatio n systems of a rather general class, including some important types of manipulators as, e.g., cooperating, super-articulated, and whole-arm manipulators, The focus is in particular on simple industry-oriented d evices, for which a minimalistic design approach requires a clear unde rstanding of mobility and graspability properties in the presence of k inematic defectivity. The paper discusses the dynamics of these system s, and considers how their structural properties (in the classical sys tem-theoretic sense, i.e., stability, controllability, observability, etc.) are related to frequently used concepts in robotics such as ''re dundancy,'' ''graspability,'' ''mobility,'' and ''indeterminacy.'' Les s common or novel concepts, such as those of ''defectivity,'' ''hypers taticity,'' and ''dynamic graspability,'' are elicited and/or enlighte ned by this study, Some important practical consequences of the limite d control possibilities of defective systems are thus put into evidenc e. Finally, a standard form of the dynamics of general manipulation sy stems is provided as a compact and readable synopsis of the dynamic st ructure. The form is a valuable tool for synthesizing dynamic controll ers for such systems, especially suited to geometric control design me thods.