Orientation planning in continuous path applications for wrist partitioned manipulators

Abstract

The paper presents an algorithm of trajectory planning for wrist partitioned robotic manipulators. The desired translational trajectory is defined as a continuous function in Cartesian co-ordinates. The desired orientation is defined as a continuous function of the Frenet frame. Therefore, orientation is planned without influence of geometric changes along the translational path. The path is generated as a sequence of elementary motions. Each new position is defined as a function of the previous one. After having derived a position, the orientation is planned using a maximising process. The present algorithm avoids singularities, because there is no need for using the inverse kinematics.