Task space analysis of multiple mobile manipulator system

Abstract

This paper presents an unified approach on the task space analysis of multiple wheeled mobile manipulators coordinating with each other. The mobile manipulators are assumed to transport a large object. We derive manipulability ellipsoid, both kinematic and dynamic, for the whole system where all the locomotion and the manipulation as well as the object itself are taken into account. The ellipsoid is able to visualize how the absolute velocity and the force observed at the object are affected by the postures of the individual mobile manipulators as well as their relative configurations. This measure can be useful for many applications such as planning and coordination of arm and platform of a single mobile manipulator or coordination of multiple arms, mobile robots or mobile manipulators.