No abstract

No abstract

Accurate robot dynamic models require the estimation and validation of the dynamic parameters through experiments. To this end, when performing the experiments, the system has to be properly excited so that the unknown parameters can be accurately estimated. The experiment design basically consists of optimizing the trajectory executed by the robot during the experiment. Due to the restricted workspace with parallel robots this task is more challenging than for serial robots; thus, this paper is focused on the experiment design aimed at dynamic parameter identification of parallel robots. Moreover, a multicriteria algorithm is proposed in order to reduce the deficiencies derived from the single-criterion optimization. The results of the identification using trajectories based on a single criterion and the multicriteria approaches are compared, showing that the proposed optimization can be considered as a suitable procedure for designing exciting trajectories for parameter identification.

Two of the main sources of position error in parallel manipulators are clearances at joints and elastic deformations of the links. The former are usually necessary in order to produce a smooth movement between the pin and the hub of a joint. The latter are unavoidable and they tend to be greater in manipulators designed for pick-and-place tasks due to the need of light links. It can be stated that the end-effector pose error depends on the mechanism configuration, the applied external wrenches, the nature and magnitude of clearances, and the rigidity of the mechanical components. This paper proposes a procedure to calculate position error in parallel manipulators due to both clearances and elastic deformations. Although the procedure is applicable to any planar or spatial parallel manipulator, a planar 5R mechanism is used as an illustrative example in order to make it easier to understand.

No abstract

No abstract

Teaching Mechanism and Machine Theory involves the description of mechanisms which are not easy to represent with static drawings. Computer applications are a common way to reproduce the motion of mechanisms. GeoGebra is a free dynamic geometry software with interactive graphics that can help in this task. By introducing mathematical constraints, such as constant distances, intersections, tangency or perpendicularity, it is possible to build a wide range of interactive mechanisms. This software has been used at the Public University of Navarra on a Degree in Mechanical Engineering, having a successful experience with the students. The software has been used in two ways. On the one hand, some mechanisms have been prepared and shown to the students in theoretical lessons in order to explain their motion. On the other hand, practical lessons have been carried out, in which the students have programmed one degree of freedom mechanisms with GeoGebra.Students have shown interest in the practical lessons and results have been satisfactory.

Rehabilitation robots are increasingly being developed in order to be used by injured people to perform exercise and training. As these exercises do not need wide range movements, some parallel robots with lower mobility architecture can be an ideal solution for this purpose. This paper presents the design of a new four degree-of-freedom (DOF) parallel robot for knee rehabilitation. The required four DOFs are two translations in a vertical plane and two rotations, one of them around an axis perpendicular to the vertical plane and the other one with respect to a vector normal to the instantaneous orientation of the mobile platform. These four DOFs are reached by means of two RPRR limbs and two UPS limbs linked to an articulated mobile platform with an internal DOF. Kinematics of the new mechanism are solved and the direct Jacobian is calculated. A singularity analysis is carried out and the gained DOFs of the direct singularities are calculated. Some of the singularities can be avoided by selecting suitable values of the geometric parameters of the robot. Moreover, among the found singularities, one of them can be used in order to fold up the mechanism for its transportation. It is concluded that the proposed mechanism reaches the desired output movements in order to carry out rehabilitation maneuvers in a singularity-free portion of its workspace.