Regions of Feasible Point-to-Point Trajectories in the Cartesian Workspace of Fully-Parallel Manipulators

TL;DR

This paper defines and characterizes the maximal regions in the workspace of fully-parallel manipulators where point-to-point motions are feasible, using generalized octree models and considering multiple kinematic solutions.

Contribution

It introduces a method to identify n-connected feasible regions in the workspace of fully-parallel manipulators considering multiple kinematic solutions.

Findings

N-connected regions are characterized by projection of connected configuration space components.

Generalized octree models effectively construct reachable and feasible regions.

Illustration with a simple planar manipulator demonstrates the approach.

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to define the n-connected regions in the Cartesian workspace of fully-parallel manipulators, i.e. the maximal regions where it is possible to execute point-to-point motions. The manipulators considered in this study may have multiple direct and inverse kinematic solutions. The N-connected regions are characterized by projection, onto the Cartesian workspace, of the connected components of the reachable configuration space defined in the Cartesian product of the Cartesian space by the joint space. Generalized octree models are used for the construction of all spaces. This study is illustrated with a simple planar fully-parallel manipulator.