Motion Kinematics of Series-Parallel Robots Using a Virtual Link Concept

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a generic and systematic approach to solve the kinematics of series-parallel (hybrid) robot manipulators. The virtual link concept is a theoretical development to solve the kinematics of hybrid robots using the Denavit-Hartenberg notations. These notations have so far been applicable only to series robots. The virtual link concept employs fictitious serial links, termed “virtual links”, to transform a series-parallel manipulator into an equivalent series manipulator. The kinematics of this transformed series manipulator is solved using Denavit-Hartenberg notations. The results are mapped back to the actual manipulator using kinematic relations between fictitious serial links and the replaced parallel structure of the actual manipulator. This approach appears to be generic and systematic for analyzing the kinematics of series-parallel robot manipulators.