Real-time algorithm for quasi-minimum energy control of robotic manipulators

Abstract

Finding minimum-energy control strategies for point-to-point operation of a robotic manipulator is algorithmically difficult and computationally very intensive, even when the dynamic equations and parameters of the manipulator are precisely known. As a result, the practical applicability of available methods is very limited. In this research, real-time algorithms to generate quasi-minimum energy point-to-point control of robotic manipulators were presented, by a point of view of the gravity center motion. While not producing exact minimum-energy solutions, the algorithms can be easily used on-line to approximate minimum-energy control. The program running on a typical PC computer (Gateway 2000 4DX2-66 V) only takes about 0.27 seconds, thus the approaches are possible for real-time control. Numerical experiments were also executed to show the effectiveness of the proposed techniques, comparing with the traditional triangular type trajectory control.