Two new designs for gravity compensated modular robotic systems are presented and analyzed. The gravity compensation relies on using zero-free-length springs approximated by a cable and pulley system. Simple yet powerful parallel four-bar modules enable the low-profile self-contained modules with sequential gravity compensation using the spring method for motion in a vertical plane. A second module that is formed as a parallel six-bar mechanism adds a horizontal motion to the previous system that also yields a complete decoupling of position and orientation of the distal end of a serial chain. Additionally, we introduce the concept of vanishing effort where as the number of modules that comprise an articulated serial chain increases, the actuation authority required at any joint reduces. Essentially, this results in a method for distributing actuation along the length of an articulated chain. Prototypes were designed and constructed validating the analysis and accomplishing the functions of a general serial-type manipulator arm.
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November 2013
Research-Article
Modular Advantage and Kinematic Decoupling in Gravity Compensated Robotic Systems
Nick Eckenstein,
Mark Yim
Mark Yim
Professor
e-mail: yim@grasp.upenn.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: yim@grasp.upenn.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Pennsylvania
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Nick Eckenstein
e-mail: neck@seas.upenn.edu
Mark Yim
Professor
e-mail: yim@grasp.upenn.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: yim@grasp.upenn.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Pennsylvania
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
Contributed by the Mechanisms and Robotics Committee of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF MECHANISMS AND ROBOTICS. Manuscript received July 7, 2011; final manuscript received July 30, 2013; published online October 4, 2013. Assoc. Editor: Vijay Kumar.
J. Mechanisms Robotics. Nov 2013, 5(4): 041013 (10 pages)
Published Online: October 4, 2013
Article history
Received:
July 7, 2011
Revision Received:
July 30, 2013
Citation
Eckenstein, N., and Yim, M. (October 4, 2013). "Modular Advantage and Kinematic Decoupling in Gravity Compensated Robotic Systems." ASME. J. Mechanisms Robotics. November 2013; 5(4): 041013. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4025218
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