Mobile dexterous siren degree of freedom robot arm with real-time control system

A method of controlling a robot arm, said robot arm comprising a base with a central axis, n joints, a joint angle sensor device connected to each of said joints, a joint servo loop device connected to each of said joints, and two ends comprising a mobile platform end and a movable hand end, each of said joints having a joint angle specifying a rotational orientation of said joint, said hand end having m degrees of freedom of movement, wherein m is less than n and said robot arm is characterized by a degree of redundancy, n-m, said method comprising:

• first defining a first m-by-n matrix for defining location and orientation of said hand end in terms of said rotation angles of said joints;
• second defining a second r-by-n matrix for defining r user specified kinematic functions in terms of said joint angles, wherein r is a positive integer exceeding the degree of redundancy of said robot arm, and wherein at least one of said kinematic functions minimizes a sum of selected mechanical parameters of at least some of said joints and said selected mechanical parameters include different weighting coefficients for different ones of said joints, said weighting coefficients being able to be changed during movement of said arm;
• combining said first and second matrices to produce an augmented m+r-by-n matrix;
• computing in accordance with forward kinematics from said augmented m+r-by-n matrix and from the joint angles sensed by said joint angle sensor device a set of n desired joint angles and transmitting said set of n desired joint angles to said joint servo loop device to control the robot arm;
• defining a translational position of said mobile platform end from said central axis of said base;
• and
• controlling said translational position of said mobile platform end by a platform motion controller.

A method of controlling a robot arm said robot arm comprising a base with a central axis, n joints, joint angle sensor means connected to each of said joints, joint servo loop means connected to each of said joints, and two ends comprising a fixed pedestal end and a movable hand end, each of said joints having a joint angle specifying a rotational orientation of said joint, said hand end having m degrees of freedom of movement, wherein m is less than n and said robot arm is characterized by a degree of redundancy, n-m, said method comprising:

• first defining a first m-by-n matrix for defining location and orientation of said hand end in terms of said rotation angles of said joints;
• second defining a second r-by-n matrix for defining r user specified kinematic functions in terms of said joint angles, wherein r is a positive integer exceeding the degree of redundancy of said robot arm, and wherein at least one of said kinematic functions corresponds to one of,
• i. minimizing a sum of gravitational torques on at least some of said joints,
• ii. minimizing a sum of selected mechanical parameters of at least some of said joints, said parameters comprising velocity errors of said joints with respect to desired velocities, and
• iii. minimizing a sum of selected mechanical parameters of at least some of said joints, said parameters comprising joint angle errors with respect to desired joint angles;
• combining said first and second matrices to produce an augmented m+r-by-n matrix;
• computing in accordance with forward kinematics from said augmented m+r-by-n matrix and from the joint angles sensed by said joint angle sensor means a set of n desired joint angles and transmitting said set of n desired joint angles to said joint servo loop means to control the robot arm;
• defining a translational position of said mobile platform end from said central axis of said base;
• and
• controlling said translational position of said mobile platform end by a platform motion controller.

A method of controlling a robot arm in real-time, said robot arm comprising a base with a central axis, n joints, joint angle sensor means connected to each of said joints, joint servo loop means connected to each of said joints, and two ends comprising a mobile platform end and a movable hand end, each of said joints having a joint angle specifying a rotational orientation of said joint, said hand end having m degrees of freedom of movement, wherein m is less than n and said robot arm is characterized by a degree of redundancy, said method comprising:

• first defining a first m-by-n matrix for defining location and orientation of said hand end in terms of said rotation angles of said joints;
• second defining a second r-by-n matrix for defining r user-specified kinematic functions in terms of said joint angles, wherein r is a positive integer exceeding to the degree of redundancy of said robot arm;
• combining said first and second matrices to produce an augmented m+r-by-n matrix;
• computing in accordance with forward kinematics from said augmented m+r-by-n matrix and from the joint angles sensed by said joint angle sensor means a set of n desired joint angles and transmitting said set of n desired joint angles to said joint servo loop means to control the robot arm;
• and
• performing said defining, combining, and computing steps continuously and in real-time, wherein said robot arm operates and performs said steps simultaneously.

A robot arm for operating in a work envelope and performing tasks, comprising:

• a base with a central axis and n joints;
• a joint angle sensor device connected to each of said joints;
• joint servo loop means connected to each of said joints;
• two ends comprising a mobile platform end and a movable hand end;
• wherein each of said joints has a joint angle specifying a rotational orientation of said joint, wherein said hand end has m degrees of freedom of movement, wherein m is less than n, and wherein said robot arm is characterized by a degree of redundancy;
• means for defining a first m-by-n matrix for defining location and orientation of said hand end in terms of said rotation angles of said joints;
• means for defining a second r-by-n matrix for defining r user-specified kinematic functions in terms of said joint angles, wherein r is a positive integer exceeding to the degree of redundancy of said robot arm;
• means for combining said first and second matrices to produce an augmented m+r-by-n matrix;
• and
• means for computing in accordance with forward kinematics from said augmented m+r-by-n matrix and from the joint angles sensed by said joint angle sensor device a set of n desired joint angles and transmitting said set of n desired joint angles to said joint servo loop means to control the robot arm.