Multibody Dynamic Modeling of Multilegged Robots

This monograph represents the first book of the series entitled "SCI­ ENTIFIC FUNDAMENTALS OF ROBOTICS". The aim of this monograph is to ap­ proach the dynamics of active mechanisms from the standpoint of its application to the synthesis of complex motion and computer-aided de­ sign of manipulation mechanisms with some optimal performances. The rapid development of a new class of mechanisms, which may be referred to as active mechanisms, contributed to their application in various environments (from underwater to cosmic) . Because of some specific fea­ tures, these mechanisms require very careful description, both in a mechanical sense (kinematic and dynamic) and in the synthesis of algo­ rithms for precise tracking of the above motion under insufficiently defined operating conditions. Having also in mind the need for a very fast (even real-time) calculation of system dynamics and for eliminating, in principle, the errors made when forming mathematical models "by hand" this monograph will primarily present methods for automatic for­ mUlation of dynamic equations of motion of active spatial mechanisms.

This book is a logical continuation of Volume 1 of the series entitled "Scientific Fundamentals of Robotics" which presents all of the basic methods for computerized construction of dynamics of manipulation ro­ bots as well as the essential concepts of computer-aided design of their mechanics. Vol. 1 of the Series also contains the main practical re­ sults from the elastodynamics of manipulation robots, having in mind a need for forming a computer procedure which allows efficient checks of elastic deformations of a manipulator tip or some other of its charac­ teristic points. Wishing to add a highly applications-oriented dimension to the dynamic aspect of studies of manipulation robots, the authors have made a kind of a topic-based selection by leaving unconsidered some aspects of studies of robots, such as elasticity, and discussing others, more im­ portant in their opinion, to such an extent as suffices to make them practically applicable. The authors have decided not to treat in detail the problem of flexible manipulation robots for two reasons. The first results from the atti­ tude that the permissible (desired) robot elasticity may, satisfacto­ rily well, be tested using the method described in Vol. 1 of the Series.