Analysis of Various Manipulator Configurations Based on Multi-Objective Black-Box Optimization

TL;DR

This paper uses multi-objective black-box optimization to analyze and compare various manipulator configurations, providing insights for designing optimal robotic arms based on reachability and torque considerations.

Contribution

It introduces a systematic optimization approach to evaluate different manipulator structures, addressing the lack of standardized design criteria.

Findings

Existing manipulators vary significantly in structure and performance.

Optimization results reveal key structural features for improved reachability.

Insights guide future manipulator design for better efficiency and flexibility.

Abstract

Various 6-degree-of-freedom (DOF) and 7-DOF manipulators have been developed to date. Over a long history, their joint configurations and link length ratios have been determined empirically. In recent years, the development of robotic foundation models has become increasingly active, leading to the continuous proposal of various manipulators to support these models. However, none of these manipulators share exactly the same structure, as the order of joints and the ratio of link lengths differ among robots. Therefore, in order to discuss the optimal structure of a manipulator, we performed multi-objective optimization from the perspectives of end-effector reachability and joint torque. We analyze where existing manipulator structures stand within the sampling results of the optimization and provide insights for future manipulator design.