Mobile robots with manipulation capability are a key technology that enables flexible robotic interactions, large area covering and remote exploration. This paper presents a novel class of actuation-coordinated mobile parallel robots (ACMPRs) that utilize parallel mechanism configurations and perform hybrid moving and manipulation functions through coordinated wheel actuators. The ACMPRs differ with existing mobile manipulators by their unique combination of the mobile wheel actuators and the parallel mechanism topology through prismatic joint connections. The common motion of the wheels will provide the mobile function while their differentiation will actuate the parallel manipulator function. This new concept reduces the actuation requirement and increases the manipulation accuracy and mobile motion stability through the coordinated and connected wheel actuators comparing with existing mobile parallel manipulators. The relative wheel location on the base frame also enables a reconfigurable base size with variable moving stability on the ground. The basic concept and general type synthesis are introduced and followed by the kinematics and inverse dynamics analysis of a selected three limb ACMPR. A numerical simulation also illustrates the dynamics model and the motion property of the new mobile parallel robot. The work provides a basis for introducing this new class of robots for potential applications in surveillance, industrial automation, construction, transportation, human assistance, medical applications and other operations in extreme environment such as nuclear plants, Mars, etc.

Actuation-Coordinated Mobile Parallel Robots With Hybrid Mobile and Manipulation Function

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/IDETC-CIE/IDETC-CIE2021/volume/85369

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