1. Joseph T. Wunderlich, Ph.D.
Robotic Arm Design
Joseph T. Wunderlich, Ph.D.

2. Human Arms do the dexterous “manipulation” work on manned missions
“Lunar Roving Vehicle” (LRV)
Robotic Arms
Human Arms do the dexterous “manipulation” work on manned missions
Image from: Young, A.H. Lunar and planetary rovers: the wheels of Apollo and the quest for mars, Springer; 1 edition, August 1, 2006.

3. Human Arms do the dexterous “manipulation” work on manned missions
“Lunar Roving Vehicle” (LRV)
Robotic Arms
1971
Human Arms do the dexterous “manipulation” work on manned missions
Image from: Young, A.H. Lunar and planetary rovers: the wheels of Apollo and the quest for mars, Springer; 1 edition, August 1, 2006.

4. “APXS Deployment Mechanism” Alpha Proton X-Ray Spectrometer
Mars Rovers
Robotic Arms
Mars Pathfinder “Sojourner”
1996
“APXS Deployment Mechanism”
(Robotic Arm)
Alpha Proton X-Ray Spectrometer
Image from:

5. Mars Rovers Robotic Arms “Spirit” & “Opportunity” 2004 “Instrument
Deployment
Device”
(Robotic Arm)
Image from: Young, A.H. Lunar and planetary rovers: the wheels of Apollo and the quest for mars, Springer; 1 edition, August 1, 2006.

6. Mars Rovers Robotic Arms “Spirit” & “Opportunity” 2004 “Instrument
Deployment
Device”
(Robotic Arm)
Image from: Young, A.H. Lunar and planetary rovers: the wheels of Apollo and the quest for mars, Springer; 1 edition, August 1, 2006.

7. Mars Rovers Robotic Arms “Spirit” & “Opportunity” 2004 “Instrument
Deployment
Device”
(Robotic Arm)
Image from: Young, A.H. Lunar and planetary rovers: the wheels of Apollo and the quest for mars, Springer; 1 edition, August 1, 2006.

8. Mars Rovers Robotic Arms “Spirit” & “Opportunity” 2004 “Instrument
Deployment
Device”
(Robotic Arm)
Image from: Young, A.H. Lunar and planetary rovers: the wheels of Apollo and the quest for mars, Springer; 1 edition, August 1, 2006.

9. Mars Rovers Robotic Arms Mars Science Lab 2000’s Robotic Arm
Image from:

10. Mars Rovers Robotic Arms ESA “ExoMars” Rover Concept 2000’s and 2010’s
Image from:

11. Mars Rovers Robotic Arms It has a drill ESA 2000’s and 2010’s
“ExoMars”
Rover
Concept
2000’s and 2010’s
It has a drill
Image from:

12. Kinematics review Robotic Arms
Before studying advanced robotic arm design we need to review basic manipulator kinematics. So let’s look at pages 9 and 10 of:
Wunderlich, J.T. (2001). Simulation vs. real-time control; with applications to robotics and neural networks. In Proceedings of 2001 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Albuquerque, NM: (session 2793), [CD-ROM]. ASEE Publications.

13. Kinematics review Robotic Arms
FROM: Wunderlich, J.T. (2001). Simulation vs. real-time control; with applications to robotics and neural networks. In Proceedings of 2001 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Albuquerque, NM: (session 2793), [CD-ROM]. ASEE Publications.

14. Robotic Arms Kinematics review
FROM: Wunderlich, J.T. (2001). Simulation vs. real-time control; with applications to robotics and neural networks. In Proceedings of 2001 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Albuquerque, NM: (session 2793), [CD-ROM]. ASEE Publications.

15. Human Arm is a 7 DOF Redundant Manipulator
What kind of arm has OPTIMAL DEXTERITY? A Redundant Manipulator? (i.e., More Degrees Of Freedom than you need)
Robotic Arms
Human Arm is a 7 DOF Redundant Manipulator
3 DOF
3 DOF
1 DOF

16. What kind of arm has OPTIMAL DEXTERITY. A Hyper-Redundant Manipulator
What kind of arm has OPTIMAL DEXTERITY? A Hyper-Redundant Manipulator? (i.e., Many more Degrees Of Freedom than “needed”)
Robotic Arms

17. OPTIMAL DEXTERITY. Would many Hyper-Redundant Manipulators be optimal
OPTIMAL DEXTERITY? Would many Hyper-Redundant Manipulators be optimal? (i.e., Each with many more Degrees Of Freedom than “needed”)
Robotic Arms

18. J. Wunderlich Related Publications
Wunderlich, J.T. (2004). Simulating a robotic arm in a box: redundant kinematics, path planning, and rapid-prototyping for enclosed spaces. In Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation International: Vol. 80. (pp ). San Diego, CA: Sage Publications.
Wunderlich, J.T. (2004). Design of a welding arm for unibody automobile assembly. In Proceedings of IMG04 Intelligent Manipulation and Grasping International Conference, Genova, Italy, R. Molfino (Ed.): (pp ). Genova, Italy: Grafica KC s.n.c Press.

19. Automobile Unibody

20. Automobile Unibody

21. Automobile Unibody

22. Automobile Unibody

33. Example for Welding Tasks

34. Example for Welding Tasks

35. Simulation (initialization)

36. Simulation (go to task start point)

37. Simulation (perform welding task)

38. Path Planning Pseudo-inverse velocity control Attractive poles
Repelling fields

39. Path Planning Pseudo-inverse velocity control
by specifying a desired end-effector velocity and a desired obstacle-avoidance-point velocity
For derivation of these equations, read pages 1 to 4 of:
Wunderlich, J.T. (2004). Simulating a robotic arm in a box: redundant kinematics, path planning, and rapid-prototyping for enclosed spaces. In Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation International: Vol. 80. (pp ). San Diego, CA: Sage Publications.

40. Path Planning Pseudo-inverse velocity control
With new proposed methodology here:
by specifying a desired end-effector velocity and multiple desired obstacle-avoidance-point velocities:
For derivation of these equations, read pages 1 to 4 of:
Wunderlich, J.T. (2004). Simulating a robotic arm in a box: redundant kinematics, path planning, and rapid-prototyping for enclosed spaces. In Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation International: Vol. 80. (pp ). San Diego, CA: Sage Publications………………………

41. Path Planning
FROM: Wunderlich, J.T. (2004). Simulating a robotic arm in a box: redundant kinematics, path planning, and rapid-prototyping for enclosed spaces. In Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation nternational: Vol. 80. (pp ). San Diego, CA: Sage Publications

42. Path Planning
FROM: Wunderlich, J.T. (2004). Simulating a robotic arm in a box: redundant kinematics, path planning, and rapid-prototyping for enclosed spaces. In Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation nternational: Vol. 80. (pp ). San Diego, CA: Sage Publications

43. Path Planning
FROM: Wunderlich, J.T. (2004). Simulating a robotic arm in a box: redundant kinematics, path planning, and rapid-prototyping for enclosed spaces. In Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation nternational: Vol. 80. (pp ). San Diego, CA: Sage Publications

44. Path Planning Pseudo-inverse velocity control Attractive Poles
Technique made feasible by:
Attractive Poles
Repelling Fields
Proportional to obstacle proximity
Direction related to poles (or goal)
Limited range

45. Search for Feasible Designs
1) Guess initial kinematics
Link-lengths and DOF to reach furthest point in unibody
2) Find repelling-velocity magnitudes
3) Use heuristic(s) to change link-lengths
Test new designs
Can minimize DOF directly

46. Example Search
Using heuristic that changes link lengths by 10cm, two at a time, results in 3489 new designs from an original (90,120,95,50,40,)cm 5-DOF design
This includes DOF designs
Another search; one designed specifically to minimize DOF, quickly yields 15 4-DOF designs (and 41 5-DOF designs)

47. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

48. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

49. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

50. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

51. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

52. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

53. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

54. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

55. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

56. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

57. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

58. New 4-DOF Design (Generated from original 5-DOF design)

59. Selecting a Design Compare measures taken during search DOF
Joint-angle displacement
Manipulability
Simulated speed
Consumption of available redundancy

60. Decrease initial financial cost Decrease financial operating costs
DOF (minimize)
Decrease initial financial cost
Decrease financial operating costs

61. Joint-angle displacement (minimize)
Related to the mechanical work required to maneuver
Increase usable life of equipment
Decrease financial operating costs

62. Manipulability (maximize)
Indication of how far arm configuration is from singularities over trajectory

63. New proposed measure here: Consumption Of Available Redundancy (COAR) (minimize it)
Indication how redundancy used over trajectory
COAR varies significantly over trajectory when joint angle changes vary significantly due to obstacle avoidance

64. COAR (Example highly-constricted workspace)

65. Simulated speed (maximize)
Simply number of simulation steps in a trajectory
Indication of how trajectory compromised
Local minima
High COAR

66. “High-Quality” Final Design (selected from all feasible designs from search)

67. How Robust is Methodology?
Dependent on initial configuration?
Can escape local minima?
Can deal with singularities?
Can be extended to more complex workspaces?

68. Dependent on initial configuration?

69. Dependent on initial configuration?

70. Dependent on initial configuration?

71. Dependent on initial configuration?

72. Dependent on initial configuration?

73. Dependent on initial configuration?

74. Can escape local minima?

75. Can deal with singularities?
Considered “damped least squares” and “weighting matrix”
Considered treating singularity configurations as obstacles
but could push arm into repelling fields
Using “manipulability measure” to compare all candidate designs
“natural selection”

76. Create enclosure from simulation Primitives
Extend methodology to more complex workspaces
Create enclosure from simulation Primitives

79. How Robust is Methodology?
Dependent on initial configuration?
Only somewhat
Can escape local minima?
Yes
Can deal with singularities?
Considered less desirable designs
Can be extended to more complex workspaces?

80. Extended methodology to finding a set of designs for a more complex enclosure

81. Circles show elbows being repelled from surfaces

82. Circles show elbows being repelled from surfaces
Results of a test design run where red arms are successful at reaching goal (red X) and blue arms are not.
Circles show elbows being repelled from surfaces

83. Using complex path-planning and obstacle avoidance
Robotic Arm Design
Using complex path-planning and obstacle avoidance
Results of a test design run where red arms are successful at reaching goal (red X) and blue arms are not.
Circles show elbows being repelled from surfaces

84. Selected Design from Search
Robotic Arm Design
Selected Design from Search
Wunderlich, J.T. (2004). Simulating a robotic arm in a box: redundant kinematics, path planning, and rapid-prototyping for enclosed spaces. In Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation International: Vol. 80. (pp ). San Diego, CA: Sage Publications.

85. Rapid prototyping of quality designs
Robotic Arm Design
This modified psuedoinverse path-planning works fine for rapidly prototyping designs
And can easily use simpler control scheme for real-time control if concerned about psuedoinverse velocity control implementation difficulties
Rapid prototyping of quality designs
Dexterous
Minimal DOF
Low energy
Good geometric fit
Semi task-specific

86. Future Possibilities Robotic Arm Design 3-D Tubular primitives
Cube primitives
Dynamic Model to optimize forces for cutting, drilling, material handling, etc.
Learn environment (anticipate walls)
Adaptive repelling fields
Use COAR to drive design process
Probabilistically complete search
Extend methodology to design of a manipulator for an Aerospace application …………………………

87. 2020 ESA/NASA Europa Jupiter System Mission”(EJSM)
Robotic Arms
“A Joint International Mission The baseline EJSM consists of two primary flight elements operating in the Jovian system: the NASA-led Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) , and the ESA-led Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter (JGO) . JEO and JGO will execute a choreographed exploration of the Jupiter System before settling into orbit around Europa and Ganymede, respectively. JEO and JGO carry 11 and 10 complementary instruments, respectively, to monitor dynamic phenomena (such as Io’s volcanoes and Jupiter’s atmosphere), map the Jovian magnetosphere and its interactions with the Galilean satellites, and characterize water oceans beneath the ice shells of Europa and Ganymede. “
SOURCE:

88. Europa Rover An optional course project Concept Paper
Robotic Arms
The mission objective is to explore an ocean confirmed in 2025 to be under the ice of Europa. Assume your launch is scheduled for 2040.
Also assume one of the following:
The Europa Jupiter System Mission discovers some very thin patches of ice (less than 200 meters thick) created by localized sub-surface thermal anomalies. OR
A mission concurrent to yours (but designed by others) has created craters on Europa’s surface that have frozen over with approximately 200 meters of ice; but assume the ice will quickly freeze much thicker -- and therefore a rapid execution of all mission operations is critical.

89. Europa Rover Robotic Arms Your rover must be able to:
- Maneuver on icy surface
- Drill through 200 meters of ice
- When liquid water reached, either:
(1) Act as a UUV, or
(2) Deploy 100 small (10 cm.) networked UUV’s
- Communicate with UUV’s if option (2) chosen
- Communicate with base station that is communicating with several
orbiters, and earth; and is also running a concurrent simulation building
an environmental map of the region of Europa being explored. Simulation
information should also be communicated back to the rover, and then to
UUV’s if option (2) chosen; this is to help with exploration, and
preservation of the rover.
- Optionally, control a hyper-redundant manipulator attached to the rover to
aid with exploration, digging, and/or deployment of small UUV’s
- Withstand extremely cold temperatures (-143C, -225F max)
- Power itself by energy source other than sun since incident solar
radiation reaching Europa is minimal; propose a means of powering the
rover.

90. Europa Rover
Image from

91. Europa Rover An optional course project Concept Paper
Read
Course Syllabus
for more details
Image from:

93. OPTIMAL DEXTERITY Would many Hyper-Redundant Manipulators be optimal?
Robotic Arms

94. CLASS DISCUSSION OF HANDOUTS (e. g
CLASS DISCUSSION OF HANDOUTS (e.g. large photocopied packet distributed on 3rd day of U.Trento lectures)
Robotic Arms
From HANDOUT including excerpts from:
S. .B. Niku, Introduction to Robotics: Analysis, Systems, Applications, Prentice Hall, July 30, 2001.

95. CLASS DISCUSSION OF HANDOUTS (e. g
CLASS DISCUSSION OF HANDOUTS (e.g. large photocopied packet distributed on 3rd day of U.Trento lectures)
Robotic Arms
From HANDOUT of 1992 J. Wunderlich talk at A.I. Dupont Research Institute including excerpts from several advanced robotics texts

96. CLASS DISCUSSION OF HANDOUTS (e. g
CLASS DISCUSSION OF HANDOUTS (e.g. large photocopied packet distributed on 3rd day of U.Trento lectures)
Robotic Arms
From HANDOUT of 1992 J. Wunderlich talk at A.I. Dupont Research Institute including excerpts from several advanced robotics texts

97. Robotic Arms
Read more on telerobotics and force-feedback in: Wunderlich, J.T., S. Chen, D. Pino, and T. Rahman (1993). Software architecture for a kinematically dissimilar master-slave telerobot. In Proceedings of SPIE Int'l Conference on Telemanipulator Technology and Space Telerobotics, Boston, MA: Vol. (2057). (pp ). SPIE Press.