Free-floating closed-chain planar robots: Kinematics and path planning

The study of free-floating manipulators is important for the success of robotics program in space and in the design of innovative robot systems which can operate over a large workspace. In order to study the fundamental theoretical and experimental issues encountered in space robotics, a closed-chain planar manipulator was built at Ohio University (OU) which floats on a flat table using air bearings. Due to the absence of external forces in the plane of the table and couples normal to this plane, the linear momentum in the plane and the angular momentum normal to this plane are conserved. It is well known that the linear momentum equations are holonomic while the angular momentum equation is nonholonomic. Due to this nonholonomic behavior, the path-planning schemes commonly used for fixed-base manipulators do not directly apply to free-floating manipulators. In this paper, we present an algorithm for motion planning of planar free-floating manipulators based on the inverse position kinematics of the mechanism. It is demonstrated that the inverse position kinematics algorithms, commonly used for fixed-base manipulators, can be successfully applied to free-floating manipulators using an iterative search procedure to satisfy the nonholonomic angular momentum constraints. This procedure results in paths identical to those predicted by inverse rate kinematics. The inverse position kinematics algorithm is then used to avoid singularities during motion to result in successful paths. The results of the simulation of this algorithm using parameter estimates of the OU free-floating robot are presented.     

COORDINATED PATH PLANNING BY INTEGRATING IMPROVED RRT$^{\small*}$ AND QUARTIC SPLINE$^{\bf 1)}$

针对空间机器人抓捕空间非合作目标的在轨服务任务,同时考虑机器人运动学约束和动力学约束,提出一种分层式的自由漂浮双臂空间机器人协调路径规划方法. 首先,在路径规划层面上基于 RRT* 算法分别规划双臂末端执行器在笛卡尔空间下的初始可行路径,为双臂设置独立的采样空间,保证路径规划过程中双臂系统不发生自身碰撞. 然后,在轨迹规划层面上利用四次样条曲线平滑 RRT* 算法生成的初始路径,设计满足样条曲线的一阶、二阶及三阶微分连续约束,同时考虑机械臂末端执行器的初末速度约束条件、初始加速度约束条件,得到适合于空间机器人执行的动力学可行的平滑 轨迹.最后,计算所规划路径的最大速度、最大加速度与机械臂末端执行器物理极限值的比值,取最小上限,即为最少路径规划时间. 所提路径规划方法能够设计出满足特定路径点约束的协调路径,且所设计的路径考虑了机械臂的物理限制条件,通过对自由漂浮双臂空间机器人进行仿真试验,验证了所提路径规划算法的有效性.     

一种改进 RRT* 结合四次样条的协调路径规划方法

针对空间机器人抓捕空间非合作目标的在轨服务任务,同时考虑机器人运动学约束和动力学约束,提出一种分层式的自由漂浮双臂空间机器人协调路径规划方法. 首先,在路径规划层面上基于 RRT* 算法分别规划双臂末端执行器在笛卡尔空间下的初始可行路径,为双臂设置独立的采样空间,保证路径规划过程中双臂系统不发生自身碰撞. 然后,在轨迹规划层面上利用四次样条曲线平滑 RRT* 算法生成的初始路径,设计满足样条曲线的一阶、二阶及三阶微分连续约束,同时考虑机械臂末端执行器的初末速度约束条件、初始加速度约束条件,得到适合于空间机器人执行的动力学可行的平滑 轨迹.最后,计算所规划路径的最大速度、最大加速度与机械臂末端执行器物理极限值的比值,取最小上限,即为最少路径规划时间. 所提路径规划方法能够设计出满足特定路径点约束的协调路径,且所设计的路径考虑了机械臂的物理限制条件,通过对自由漂浮双臂空间机器人进行仿真试验,验证了所提路径规划算法的有效性.      

动态规划求解空间双臂机器人非完整运动最优控制问题

通过自适应动态规划研究自由漂浮空间双臂机器人运动的最优控制问题．针对空间双臂机器人的非完整性运动,采用自适应动态规划(Adaptive Dynamic Programming, ADP)方法求解其最优控制问题．根据多体动力学理论,推导了载体位置、姿态均无控制条件下,双臂空间机器人满足的系统动量守恒关系的非完整约束方程,并将其转化为控制系统的状态方程,从而将双臂空间机器人的非完整运动规划问题转化为对非线性系统的控制问题．文中根据自适应动态规划网络结构,利用神经网络来近似性能指标函数,进而用龙格库塔法求解状态变量．并给出了适合该类问题的一种效用函数具体表达式,保证了空间双臂机器人到达期望位置后不再继续运动．实现了对空间双臂机器人非完整运动规划的最优控制．数值仿真实验验证了ADP对求解空间双臂机器人非完整运动规划最优控制问题的有效性．     

带滑移铰空间机械臂运动规划的双向逼近方法

以双向逼近方法为基础,讨论了载体姿态与位置均不受控制的带滑移铰空间机器臂的运动规划问题．该方法利用系统的非完整动力学性质,仅通过对空间机器臂关节铰运动的控制,即可达到对载体姿态及机械臂关节位置的双重控制效果,从而减少了载体姿态控制燃料的消耗,有效延长了空间机械臂系统的使用寿命．系统数值仿真证明了该方法的有效性．     

存在关节死区的空间机器人无扰快速终端滑模控制

针对机械臂一般操作过程中运动学的非完整特性进行运动规划时没有考虑机械臂与待抓取目标之间的关系与关节的实际特性, 研究了存在关节死区的漂浮基平面三连杆空间机械臂拦截目标前最后阶段的载体无扰动空间规划与控制. 首先根据拉格朗日第二类方程, 建立存在关节死区的载体位姿均不受控的漂浮基平面三连杆空间机械臂的动力学模型, 推导出三连杆空间机械臂反作用零空间的数学模型, 并对反作用零空间进行向量范数约束算法研究; 进而提出了一种具有抗干扰性与高收敛性的非奇异快速终端滑模控制算法实现系统的姿态无扰控制, 该方法采用变系数双幂次趋近率与非奇异快速终端滑模面相结合的方式, 提高系统状态收敛速度与抗干扰性. 为了消除机械臂关节存在的死区特性, 设计了自适应死区补偿器, 通过自适应控制来逼近死区特性的上界, 以消除关节死区对系统带来的影响, 确保跟踪控制的有效执行. 最后基于Lyapunov函数法证明了系统的稳定性, 并通过系统数值仿真结果验证了存在死区情况下机械臂的各关节角跟踪上无反应空间下的期望轨迹的同时载体的姿态处于稳定状态, 验证了所提方法的有效性.      

Velocity and acceleration level inverse kinematic calculation alternatives for redundant manipulators

For both non-redundant and redundant systems, the inverse kinematics (IK) calculation is a fundamental step in the control algorithm of fully actuated serial manipulators. The tool-center-point (TCP) position is given and the joint coordinates are determined by the IK. Depending on the task, robotic manipulators can be kinematically redundant. That is when the desired task possesses lower dimensions than the degrees-of-freedom of a redundant manipulator. The IK calculation can be implemented numerically in several alternative ways not only in case of the redundant but also in the non-redundant case. We study the stability properties and the feasibility of a tracking error feedback and a direct tracking error elimination approach of the numerical implementation of IK calculation both on velocity and acceleration levels. The feedback approach expresses the joint position increment stepwise based on the local velocity or acceleration of the desired TCP trajectory and linear feedback terms. In the direct error elimination concept, the increment of the joint position is directly given by the approximate error between the desired and the realized TCP position, by assuming constant TCP velocity or acceleration. We investigate the possibility of the implementation of the direct method on acceleration level. The investigated IK methods are unified in a framework that utilizes the idea of the auxiliary input. Our closed form results and numerical case study examples show the stability properties, benefits and disadvantages of the assessed IK implementations.

     

An evolutionary approach for the motion planning of redundant and hyper-redundant manipulators

The trajectory planning of redundant robots is an important area of research and efficient optimization algorithms are needed. The pseudoinverse control is not repeatable, causing drift in joint space which is undesirable for physical control. This paper presents a new technique that combines the closed-loop pseudoinverse method with genetic algorithms, leading to an optimization criterion for repeatable control of redundant manipulators, and avoiding the joint angle drift problem. Computer simulations performed based on redundant and hyper-redundant planar manipulators show that, when the end-effector traces a closed path in the workspace, the robot returns to its initial configuration. The solution is repeatable for a workspace with and without obstacles in the sense that, after executing several cycles, the initial and final states of the manipulator are very close.     

Achievement of chaotic synchronization trajectories of master–slave manipulators with feedback control strategy

This paper addresses a master-slave synchro- nization strategy for complex dynamic systems based on feedback control. This strategy is applied to 3-DOF pla- nar manipulators in order to obtain synchronization in such complicated as chaotic motions of end-effectors. A chaotic curve is selected from Duffing equation as the trajectory of master end-effector and a piecewise approximation method is proposed to accurately represent this chaotic trajectory of end-effectors. The dynamical equations of master-slave manipulators with synchronization controller are derived, and the Lyapunov stability theory is used to determine the stability of this controlled synchronization system. In numer- ical experiments, the synchronous motions of end-effectors as well as three joint angles and torques of master-slave manipulators are studied under the control of the proposed synchronization strategy. It is found that the positive gain matrix affects the implementation of synchronization con- trol strategy. This synchronization control strategy proves the synchronization＇s feasibility and controllability for com- plicated motions generated by master-slave manipulators.     

基于Clamped B样条的空间非合作目标抓捕策略研

空间机械臂技术是未来实施在轨服务与维护任务的关键技术之一. 利用机械臂对空间非合作目标, 特别是翻滚目标的抓捕仍然存在巨大的挑战. 本文提出一种基于Clamped B样条的空间非合作目标抓捕策略方案. 在对非合作目标与空间机械臂运动学与动力学分析的基础上, 结合非合作目标被空间机械臂抓捕后的动静态对偶性分析, 构建抓捕后的力可操作度椭球作为抓捕策略设计的优化指标. 其次, 考虑目标的运动预测和空间机械臂的抓捕能力图谱构建, 确定空间机械臂应对目标的最优抓捕时机与抓捕终端状态. 基于Clamped B样条对空间机械臂各关节轨迹进行时间归一化参数描述, 并对抓捕过程中的机械臂关节角、速度、避撞、抓捕走廊等约束进行数学变换, 最终将抓捕策略转换为多约束、多目标的非线性优化问题, 利用自适应惯性权重的粒子群优化算法进行求解. 将所设计的抓捕策略应用于空间七自由度运动学冗余机械臂, 实现了对空间中翻滚目标的成功捕获, 验证了所提抓捕策略的可行性与有效性.      

Impact dynamics analysis of free-floating space manipulator capturingsatellite on orbit and robust adaptive compound controlalgorithm design for suppressing motion

The impact dynamics, impact effect, and post-impact unstable motion sup- pression of free-floating space manipulator capturing a satellite on orbit are analyzed. Firstly, the dynamics equation of free-floating space manipulator is derived using the sec- ond Lagrangian equation. Combining the momentum conservation principle, the impact dynamics and effect between the space manipulator end-effector and satellite of the cap- ture process are analyzed with the momentum impulse method. Focusing on the unstable motion of space manipulator due to the above impact effect, a robust adaptive compound control algorithm is designed to suppress the above unstable motion. There is no need to control the free-floating base position to save the jet fuel. Finally, the simulation is proposed to show the impact effect and verify the validity of the control algorithm.     

闭环双臂空间机器人系统运动规划的双向逼近方法

讨论了载体位置、姿态均不受控制的闭环双臂空间机器人系统的非完整运动规划问题. 以系统动量、动量矩守恒关系及几何约束条件为基础，建立了控制设计所需的系统状态方程； 并通过对状态方程应用双向Lyapunov方法，获得了机械臂关节角的控制输入方程，从而达到 对载体姿态及机械臂关节角的双重控制效果. 该方法的优点是减少了载体姿态控制燃料的消 耗，有效地延长了空间机器人系统的使用寿命. 通过一个平面自由漂浮闭环双臂空间机器人系统 的数值仿真，证明了方法的有效性.     

带空间机械臂航天器姿态运动规划的数值算法研究

自由漂浮空间机械臂系统在无外力矩作用时,系统的动量矩守恒而成为非完整系统。利用这一特性本文研究了自由漂浮空间机械臂系统的三维姿态运动规划问题。导出带空间机械臂的航天器三维姿态运动数学模型,将系统的非完整运动规划问题转化为非线性系统最优控制问题,在最优控制中利用小波逼近控制输入规律,提出基于遗传算法的最优控制数值算法。通过数值仿真,表明该方法对带空间机械臂航天器系统的非完整姿态运动规划是有效的。     

Detumbling strategy and coordination control of kinematically redundant space robot after capturing a tumbling target

This paper focuses on the motion planning to detumble and control of a space robot to capture a non-cooperative target satellite. The objective is to construct a detumbling strategy for the target and a coordination control scheme for the space robotic system in post-capture phase. First, the dynamics of the kinematically redundant space robot after grasping the target is presented, which lays the foundation for the coordination controller design. Subsequently, optimal detumbling strategy for the post-capture phase is proposed based on the quartic B\(\acute{\text{ e }}\)zier curves and adaptive particle swarm optimization algorithm subject to the specific constraints. Both detumbling time and control torques were taken into account for the generation of the optimal detumbling strategy. Furthermore, a coordination control scheme is designed to track the designed reference path while regulating the attitude of the chaser to a desired value. The space robot successfully dumps the initial velocity of the tumbling satellite and controls the base attitude synchronously. Simulation results are presented for detumbling a target with rotational motion using a seven degree-of-freedom redundant space manipulator, which demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Planning and control of 3-D nano-manipulation

The use of atomic force microscope (AFM) as a nanomanipulator has been evolving for various kinds of nano-manipulation tasks. Due to the bow effect of the piezo scanner of the AFM, the AFM space is different from the Cartesian space. Traditional nanomanipulation based on AFM is only a 2-D operation and does not consider the bow effect of the piezotube. In this paper, different 3-D nanomanipulation tasks using AFM such as nanolithography, pushing and cutting have been discussed. 3-D path planning is performed directly in the AFM space and the 3-D paths are generated based on the 3-D topography information of the surface represented in the AFM space. This approach can avoid the mappings between the AFM space and Cartesian space in planning. By following the generated motion paths, the tip can either follow the topography of the surface or move across the surface by avoiding collision with bumps. Nanomanipulation using this method can be considered as the “true“ 3-D operations since the cantilever tip can be controlled to follow any desired 3-D trajectory within the range of AFM space. The experimental study shows the effectiveness of the planning and control scheme.     

Achievement of chaotic synchronization trajectories of master-slave manipulators with feedback control strategy

This paper addresses a master-slave synchronization strategy for complex dynamic systems based on feedback control.This strategy is applied to 3-DOF planar manipulators in order to obtain synchronization in such complicated as chaotic motions of end-effectors.A chaotic curve is selected from Duffing equation as the trajectory of master end-effector and a piecewise approximation method is proposed to accurately represent this chaotic trajectory of end-effectors.The dynamical equations of master-slave mani...     

漂浮基柔性两杆空间机械臂的关节运动鲁棒控制与柔性振动最优控制Robust joint motion control and vibration optimal control for a free-floating two-flexible-link space manipulator

讨论了载体位置、姿态均不受控情况下,具有有界干扰及有界未知参数的漂浮基柔性两杆空间机械臂的具有鲁棒性的关节运动控制与柔性振动最优控制算法设计问题。首先选择合理的联体坐标系,利用拉格朗日方程并结合动量守恒原理得到漂浮基柔性两杆空间机械臂系统的动力学方程。通过合理选择联体坐标系与利用奇异摄动理论,实现了两个柔性杆柔性振动之间、关节运动与两柔性杆柔性振动的解耦,得到了柔性两杆空间机械臂的慢变子系统与柔性臂快变子系统。针对两个子系统设计相应的控制规律,即增广鲁棒慢变子系统控制律与柔性臂快变子系统最优控制律,这两个相应的子系统控制规律综合到一起构成飘浮基柔性两杆空间机械臂总的关节运动与臂柔性振动控制的组合控制律。系统的数值仿真证实了方法的有效性。该控制方案不需要直接测量漂浮基的位置、移动速度和移动加速度。     

THE ROBUST CONTROL SCHEME FOR FREEFLOATING SPACE MANIPULATOR TO TRACK *THE DESIRED TRAJECTORY IN JOINTSPACE

The control of a free-floating space manipulator system is discussed. With the augmentation approach, the nonlinear parameterization problem of the dynamic equations of the space manipulator system is overcome. Based on the results, the robust control scheme for free-floating space manipulator with uncertain payload parameters to track the desired trajectory in jointspace is proposed, and the global convergence of the tracking is verified by using the Lyapunov method. The proposed control scheme is computationally simple, because we choose to make the controller robust to the uncertain inertial parameters rather than explicitly estimate them online. In particular, it needn't control the position and attitude of the floating base. A two-link planar space manipulator system is simulated to verify the control scheme proposed. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 19872032), Aeronautical Science Foundation, and Science Foundation of Fuzhou University.     

浮动基座空间机械臂系统的动力学建模与惯性轨迹跟踪的滑模控制

本文利用多刚体系统动力学方法对载体位置、姿态均不受控制的浮动基空间机械臂系统的运动学、动力学作了分析,并结合系统的动量与动量矩守恒关系建立了系统的动力学方程及运动的广义Jacobi关系。以此为基础,对空间机械臂末端抓手追踪惯性空间期望轨迹的控制问题作了研究。考虑到空间机械臂系统的结构复杂性及某些参数（如液体控制燃料的数量）的变动性,根据具有较强鲁棒性的变结构滑模控制理论,设计了轨迹跟踪控制的变结构滑模控制方案。此控制方案的优点在于：在操作过程中不需要对空间机械臂载体的位置、姿态进行主动控制,因此将大大减少位置、姿态控制装置的燃料消耗。通过对平面三杆自由浮动空间机械臂系统的仿真计算,证实了文中提出的变结构滑模控制方案的有效性。     

Terminal sliding mode control for coordinated motion of a space rigid manipulator with external disturbance

The control problem of coordinated motion of a free-floating space rigid manipulator with external disturbance is discussed. By combining linear momentum conversion and the Lagrangian approach, the full-control dynamic equation and the Jacobian relation of a free-floating space rigid manipulator are established and then inverted to the state equation for control design. Based on the terminal sliding mode control （SMC） technique, a mathematical expression of the terminal sliding surface is proposed. The terminal SMC scheme is then developed for coordinated motion between the base＇s attitude and the end-effector of the free-floating space manipulator with external disturbance. This proposed control scheme not only guarantees the existence of the sliding phase of the closed-loop system, but also ensures that the output tracking error converges to zero in finite time. In addition, because the initial system state is always at the terminal sliding surface, the control scheme can eliminate reaching phase of the SMC and guarantee global robustness and stability of the closed-loop system. A planar free-floating space rigid manipulator is simulated to verify the feasibility of the proposed control scheme.