A Generalized Method for Solving the Kinematics of 3 D.O.F.

Reconfigurable Manipulators
H. Valsamosa, V. Moulianitisa,b, N. Aspragathosa
a
Department of Mechanical & Aeronautics Engineering, University of Patras, Rio, Patras,26500, Greece
b
Department of Product and System Design Engineering, University of the Aegean, Syros, Greece

Abstract

A generalized method for solving the kinematic problems of 3 d.o.f. reconfigurable manipulators is
presented. The method is based on the product of exponentials formula (PoE) and can be used for reconfigurable
manipulators structured with the use of pseudo joints, active twisting joints and rigid links. A software built in
MATLAB allowing the user to structure 3 d.o.f. reconfigurable manipulators with arbitrary anatomies that can
automatically provide solutions to the direct and inverse kinematic problems of the designed robot, based on the
aforementioned method, is also presented. Results are also presented for one case study with seven pseudo joints
and 3 joints.

Keywords: Reconfigurable robots, kinematics

1. Introduction methods for reconfigurable articulated robots where

As manufacturing is shifting from the flexible to
the reconfigurable paradigm, the design of industrial
manipulators and robotic workcells should adopt
reconfiguration. Although reconfigurable
manipulators offer great advantages due to their
innate capability for altering their anatomy [1] still
most designs for articulated robotic systems
implementing this paradigm, present structure
similarities to currently used industrial articulated
manipulators. Most systems follow Piepers
suggestion of having either three consecutive joint
axes intersecting at a common point or three
consecutive parallel axes (Pieper, 1968). In addition,
their geometry is somewhat bounded to have the
angles formed by consecutive joint axes set to either
900 or 00, to reduce the kinematic complexity [2].
In the relevant literature the kinematics for fixed
anatomy articulated systems are addressed by two
different approaches, from which the relative
developed: analytical and numerical or iterative
methods. Analytical methods [4,5,6] provide an
accurate solution to the inverse kinematics problem
requiring low computational time once the final set
of equations for the joint variables is defined.
However, they are structure dependant, meaning that
one can only derive an analytical solution for a
single manipulator or a series of manipulators with
similar structural characteristics, while additionally
they require extensive algebraic calculations in order
to derive the final set of equations to be solved for
the joint variables. However, their rapid calculation
of a solution makes them ideal for on-line control
and optimization algorithms.
Numerical or iterative methods [7,8,9,10] on the
other hand, have a more general approach and can
provide a solution for a wider range of manipulators,
regardless of their structural configuration. However,
iterative and AI based methods can usually derive
the closest solution which reduces the required
accuracy, while they also suffer from convergence
problems which may result in an inability of
producing any solutions at all. Computational
methods also require a significant amount of time in
order to calculate a solution, compared with the
direct solving of analytical methods. Therefore, these
methods can be a very helpful tool in deriving the
kinematic solutions for manipulators but only when
used off-line.
Reconfigurable articulated systems on the other
hand present far more a challenge regarding their
inverse kinematics since their anatomies are variable,
requiring a new analysis for each new structural
configuration. Therefore in most cases, numerical
methods are favored in order to address the inverse
kinematics of such systems [11, 12, 13]. This is also
one of the reasons why reconfigurable articulated
systems resemble, in terms of structure, their fixed
anatomy counterparts.
In this work, a generalized method for obtaining
analytical expressions and solutions for the inverse
kinematics of reconfigurable 3 d.o.f. RRR
(rotational) type manipulators is presented. The main
objective of the method is to provide a means to
develop closed form solutions for the reconfigurable
manipulators kinematic problems that are able to
track the changes in its anatomy during
reconfiguration. The proposed method is presented
by determining closed form kinematics expression
for a 3 d.o.f. reconfigurable manipulator with
arbitrary anatomies. An automated software system
developed allowing the user to construct a
reconfigurable manipulator using active joints, rigid
links and pseudo joints [14] in a completely arbitrary
sequence which is capable of solving both the
forward and inverse kinematics of the constructed
manipulator is also presented. Results are presented
for three case study reconfigurable manipulators.
2. A generalized parametric analytical method for
solving the inverse kinematics of 3 d.o.f.
reconfigurable manipulators
One of the key elements for robot design is the
development of solutions to their kinematics, since
these are the cornerstones upon which every possible
aspect of them is based, whether it is their design,
performance optimization and analysis, kinematic
and dynamical analysis and optimization, control etc.
Although the direct kinematics of any given
manipulator whether reconfigurable or not are
straightforward and in every respect analytically
solvable, the inverse kinematics are an altogether
different matter. The inverse kinematic problem is
non-linear, directly dependant of the manipulators
configuration (posture) and anatomy (structure). This
causes the inverse kinematics problem to be very
difficult, and in some cases impossible, to be solved
analytically, especially for reconfigurable robots
whose structure is changeable [15]. Current practice
in solving the inverse kinematics of robotic
manipulators involves the use of iterative methods as
an effort to reduce the required effort in order to
reach a solution, as these methods present a more
general approach. However, their increased
requirements in computational time and power,
especially when considering optimization problems
inhibits their usage in on-line algorithms, while at
the same time greatly increases the total amount of
time and power required for the whole procedure.
A generalized analytical method for solving the
inverse kinematics of a reconfigurable manipulator
could therefore help reduce the required
computational time and power required by the
relative numerical ones making it ideal for offline
and online optimization, design and control
processes.
Pseudo joints were presented as a means to
facilitate the rapid and with limited effort
requirements anatomical reconfiguration of
articulated modular robotic manipulators [14]. One
of the main advantages of using pseudo joints for
structuring articulated reconfigurable robots is that a
parametric solution to their kinematic problems,
having as parameters the changeable kinematic
features of the robot is made feasible. This
parametric solution allows the derivation of a set of
decoupled equations solvable for the joint angles of
manipulator consisting of a given number of active
joints, pseudo-joints and rigid links for every
possible anatomy it can achieve. This allows for a
significant reduction in the complexity as well as in
the time and computational power requirements for
solving the optimization problem.
Using this ability provided by the pseudo joints
it is possible to create a generalized procedure
leading to a parametrical solution of the inverse
kinematics problems of 3 d.o.f. reconfigurable
manipulators, structured with the usage of pseudo
joints. The PoE [6] is used for deriving the
parametric solution to the inverse kinematics
problem of the manipulator. It is preferred over other
methods such as D-H [4,5], since it is relatively
simpler due to the fact that only two coordinate
frames are used and together with the geometric
significance of the twists i the produced
 Fig. 1. A general reconfigurable rotational robot.

representation of the manipulator kinematics is a

superior alternative to the D-H parameters.

Additionally it presents a lower complexity products of the exponentials of the pseudo joints that
during the determination of the inverse kinematics exist between the robots base and joint 1 (a),
solution because the Paden Kahan subproblems are between joints 1 and 2 (b) between joints 2 and 3 (c)
used i.e. the inverse kinematics are broken down to and between joint 3 and the end effector tool (d),
appropriate simpler subproblems with known whose variables v are geometrical characteristics of
solutions for each joint. the robot and are considered known. gst(0)
In order to demonstrate the procedure a 3 d.o.f. represents the position and orientation of the tool
manipulator is considered, structured using 3 frame relative to the base frame in the manipulators
twisting joints (1,2,3), and an arbitrary number of reference position illustrated in fig.1. and gd
pseudo joints and links along the robots lattice in 4 represents the forward kinematics map of the
successive sub-structures as illustrated in fig. 1 at its manipulator, as a function of the joint variables
reference position, i.e. where the joint variables all (vector ) and the variable geometrical parameters
have a value of 00 and the pseudo joint variables are (pseudo joint variables, vector v) of the
either 00 or +900 or -900. manipulator. This map is the input to the inverse
The procedure begins with the manipulators kinematics problem as it represents the position and
forward kinematics map [6]. orientation of the end effector for a set of joint
n1
a j j
n2
b j j
n3
c j j
variables and parameters.
e
j 1
e1 1 e
j 1
e2 2 e
j 1
As a first step, the exponential matrices of the joints
and pseudo joints are isolated in eq. 1.
(1) n1 n2 n3
a j j b j j c j j
e e1 1 e e2 2 e
n4
d j j
e3 3
e gst 0 gd ,v
j 1 j 1 j 1 j 1
(2)
n4
d j j

Where e i , i=1,2,3 are the exponential matrices for
e3 3
e gd ,v gst 1
0 g1
j 1
the three twisting joints whose variables are 1,2,3,
n1 n2 n3 n4
a j j b j j c j j d j j
e
j 1
,e
j 1
,e
j 1
,e
j 1
are the Since the exponential matrices of the pseudo joints
are a priori known eq. 2 can be rewritten as
 n2 n3 n2
b j j
e
b j j c j j
e 1 1
e e 2 2
e e3 3
Since q lies on 1 and is known, eq. 8
j 1 j 1 j 1
(3)
n1
a j j
n4
d j j
becomes:
e g1 e g2
n2
e2 2 p1 q1 g 2 p q (9)
j 1 j 1 b j j
e
1 j
e
Let p be a point on the axis of the third joint, j 1

applying both sides of eq. 3 to it yields:

Where
n2 n3
b j j c j j
e1 1 e e2 2 e p g 2 p (4) 1
b j j
1
b j j
j 1 j 1 e
j n2
e1 1 q e
j n2
q q1 (10)

since p lies on 3 and therefore it stands that

n3 Taking the norms of both sides of eq. 9 and keeping
c j j
e 3 3
p p . The product ej 1
is known in mind that rigid transformations preserve distances,
yields:
since it is composed of the exponential matrices of
pseudo joints only, and its multiplication with p e2 2 p1 q1 g2 p q (11)
transforms it to a new point p1
Eq. 11 represents the rotation of a point to a given
n3
c j j
e
distance around an existing axis and is easily
p p1 (5) solvable for the variable of the second joint [6].
j 1
Solving the above subproblem yields a set of two
possible solutions for 2.
Therefore eq. 4 becomes: Knowing the value of 2, eq. 6 can be rewritten as:

e1 1 p2 g2 p
n2
b j j
e1 1 e
(12)
e2 2 p1 g 2 p (6)
j 1
Where
Let q be a point that lies on the axis of joint 1.
n2
b j j
e
Subtracting q from both parts of eq. 6 yields:
e2 2 p1 p 2 (13)
n2 j 1
b j j
e1 1 e e2 2 p1 q g 2 p q (7)
j 1 Since both the exponential matrices of the pseudo
joints and the second joint are known.
However, eq. 7 can be rewritten as: Eq. 12 represents the rotation of a point around a
given axis, and is solvable for the value 1 of the first
joint variable. Knowing both 1 and 2, eq. 3 can be
n2
1
e11 e e2 2 p1 e j e11 q g 2 p q (8)
b j j b j
rewritten as:
j 1 j n2
 Table 1
Geometrical Parameters for the structure shown in fig. 3.

Component Orientation of Initial

Fig. 2 The developed system environment.
Fig. 3 The reconfigurable robot structured in Table 1.
1 1
c j j b j j
e3 3 e e2 2 e e11 g 2 g3 (14)
j n3 j n2
Let v be a point that does not lie on 3. Applying
both sides of eq. 14 to it yields:
e3 3 v g3 v
Eq. 15 is similar to eq. 12 and is also solvable for 3.
At the end of the procedure, a set of two possible
solutions for the three joint angles [1, 2, 3] is
derived for the given current anatomy of the
manipulator. As this anatomy is reconfigured to a
new one, via the resetting of the pseudo joints in the
robots lattice, the procedure is repeated in exactly
the same way, requiring only the calculation of the
exponentials of the pseudo joints, for their new
settings.
3. A system for solving the inverse kinematics.
Application.
Using the presented method, a software system for
Rotation axis setting
value
Pseudo joint 1 Z 00
Pseudo joint 2 Z 900
Rotational Joint 1 X
Pseudo joint 3 Z 00
Pseudo joint 4 Y -900
Rotational Joint 2 Z
Pseudo joint 5 Y 900
Pseudo joint 6 Y 00
Rotational Joint 3 X
Pseudo joint 7 Z 900
structuring a reconfigurable robot using twisting
joints, pseudo joints and rigid links and for solving
its kinematic problems was built in MATLAB (Fig.
2). The system includes three basic modules of the
software:
Create a structure: A GUI for building robot
structures. The structure can be saved and loaded at
any time (fig.1).
Forward kinematics solver: A GUI that produces
the position and orientation of the tool point of a
structured robot by inserting the joint and pseudo
joint angles variables values.
Inverse kinematics solver: A GUI which solved
the inverse kinematic problem of the manipulator
analytically. The solver returns the values for the
regular joint angles as the pseudo joint angles values
are known. The input to the solver is the known
(15)
position and orientation of the tool point.
The geometrical parameters for the structure
shown in fig 3 are shown in Table 1. The twisting
joints are defined by the orientation of their
rotational axis relative to the global coordinate
system (robots base) and the length of origin
between two components. The pseudo joints which
can be considered as rotational joints are fully
defined by five parameters:
The axis of rotation of the pseudo joint as it is
referred in the second column of Table 1.
The value of the setting of the relative pseudo
joint as shown in the third column of Table 1. This
value setting allows for the manipulator to achieve
different anatomies.
The lengths of the subcomponents of the pseudo
joints (i.e. their base and rotating connective surface)
and the orientation of their directional axes, as these
are situated for the given setting of each pseudo joint
angle.
A number of test runs, for the presented case study,
showed confirmed that both the presented method
and software functioned correctly. During these runs
arbitrary values for the joint and pseudo joints angles
were used to form the forward kinematics mapping,
which was in turn used as an input to the inverse
kinematics solver. The returned joint variable
solutions where then compared to the original ones
for reference. Results clearly showed the
effectiveness of the method and the software system.
In order to verify the correct application of the
system further, additional tests were conducted for
arbitrary structured robots and for arbitrary joint
variables. The system managed to return the correct
solution in all cases, proving the validity of the
method presented for solving the inverse kinematics.
4. Conclusions
In this paper a generalized method for solving the
kinematic problems of 3 d.o.f. RRR type
reconfigurable manipulators is presented. The
method is based on the product of exponentials
formula (PoE) and can be used for reconfigurable
manipulators structured with the use of pseudo
joints, active rotating joints and rigid links.
A system developed in MATLAB is presented,
allowing the user to structure 3 d.o.f. reconfigurable
manipulators with arbitrary anatomies that can
automatically provide solutions to the direct and
inverse kinematic problems of the designed robot,
based on the aforementioned method.
An illustrative example of a structure with seven
pseudo joints and three joints is presented.
Future work includes the extension of the method for
6 d.o.f. robots satisfying Piepers principle with a
random number of pseudo joints. In addition, the use
of translational joints will be included in the method.
Acknowledgements
University of Patras is partner of the EU-funded
FP6 Innovative Production Machines and Systems
(I*PROMS) Network of Excellence.
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