A novel formulation for determining joint constraint loads during optimal dynamic motion of redundant manipulators in DH representation (Q934765)

When the Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) kinematic representation is used for kinematic modelling, the relative joint constraints cannot be described explicitly. At the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conference in Las Vegas (4.--7. Sept. 2007), the authors presented a study on the generation of load-effective optimal dynamic motion of redundant manipulators (manipulators with large degrees of freedom (DGF) required to accomplish a given task), that guarantees successful execution of given tasks. Here, the Lagrangian dynamics is proposed for solving the system of differential-algebraic equations (DAE) for general external loads. By adding fictitious joints, thus increasing the DGFs, the joint constraint forces and moments (Lagrange multipliers), the optimal dynamic motion and the required actuator torque of redundant manipulators can be obtained for manipulators modelled in the DH representation. This optimization formulation satisfies the equivalent DAEs. Examples of tasks of a simple planar manipulator and a high DGF digital human model are used for illustration purpose. The calculated joint constraint loads can be used for stress-strain analysis of robotic systems, design of joints and link manipulators, prediction of human injuries at joints or bones, etc.