Title: Manipulator simulation and its application to model a crawling gait locomotion

Authors: S.M.R.S. Noorani, Ahmad Ghanbari

Addresses: Center of Excellence for Mechatronics, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tabriz, P.O. Box 5166616471, Tabriz, Iran. ' Center of Excellence for Mechatronics, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tabriz, P.O. Box 5166616471, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract: In recent years, efforts have been made to develop efficient path planners for manipulators with large numbers of Degrees of Freedom (DOFs). The first part of this paper includes modelling and dynamic analysing of the planar manipulators, which consist of n revolute joints and possess a frictional contact between end-effecter and environment. The dynamic analysis is based on Lagrangian formulation and equations of motion are represented in an explicit and straightforward manner. In following, inchworm robot, which is an articulated mechanism that performs a specific mode of crawling locomotion similar to the caterpillars, is modelled by a manipulator as a case study approach to part 1. In this problem, the required joint torques to achieve the locomotion pattern of one part of motion course are calculated.

Keywords: serial manipulators; manipulator dynamics; Lagrangian formulation; frictional contact; crawling robots; robot path planning; dynamic modelling; worm robots; caterpillars; caterpillar robots; joint torques; robot motion; robot dynamics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVAS.2011.041387

International Journal of Vehicle Autonomous Systems, 2011 Vol.9 No.3/4, pp.241 - 252

Received: 13 Jul 2009
Accepted: 05 Jul 2010
Published online: 10 Apr 2015 *

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