Modeling of controlled motion of semi-passively actuated SCARA-like robot

Paper in proceeding, 2000

The controlled motion of a new structure of manipulator robot is under study. In comparison with the well-known SCARA robot the proposed robotic system has the following new features: in addition to powered drives it comprises several unpowered (passive) spring-damper-like drives. An additional link has also been incorporated into the structure that gives the possibility to obtain a semipassively actuated closed-loop chain robot. Special emphasis is put on a study of the interaction between the controlling stimuli of the powered drives and the torques exerted by the unpowered drives needed to provide the energy-optimal motion of the robot. Computer simulations have demonstrated the numerical efficiency of the developed algorithms and have proved several advantages of the considered semipassively actuated closed-loop robot.