Project Title:

New Solution Method for Robot Kinematic Equations

05.02-5272
New Solution Method for Robot Kinematic
	Equations
Advanced Control Technologies, Inc.
182 Edgewater Circle
Gallatin, TN  37060
Mary S. Waggener  (615-256-5272)
MSFC -- NAS8-37616

Abstract:

	 All robots differ from their idealized mathematical models because of parametric
errors, link flexion, environmentally induced errors, etc. Because the resulting
equations are too complex, analytically derived models cannot include compensation
for such errors. Numerical models, however, can easily provide compensation.
	During Phase I, the feasibility of providing compensation in a quasi-static situation
was demonstrated by deriving multi-dimensional, B-spline models of inverse kinematic
equations for a robot. These models were shown to be immune to certain parametric
errors, measurement noise, and the dimensionality of the functions. The partial derivatives
of the models also seem accurately to represent the true joint partial derivatives.
Some errors (payload induced link flexion, axes misalignment, etc.) are too complex
to simulate. However, if models are derived from measured end effector and joint
data, which include the effects of such errors, error compensation will implicitly
be included in the models.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Application: Robot models that include error compensation can
be substituted for existing models in operational robots and are particularly appropriate
for  controllers marketed for use with various robots. The modeling algorithm will
also make it possible to use flexible or imprecisely manufactured robots for precision
tasks.