Geometric, Spatial Path Tracking Using Non-Redundant Manipulators via Speed-Ratio Control

Path tracking can be accomplished by separating the control of the desired trajectory geometry and the control of the path variable. Existing methods accomplish tracking of up to third-order geometric properties of planar paths and up to second-order properties of spatial paths using non-redundant manipulators, but only in special cases. This paper presents a novel methodology that enables the geometric tracking of a desired planar or spatial path to any order with any non-redundant regional manipulator. The governing first-order coordination equation for a spatial path-tracking problem is developed, the repeated differentiation of which generates the coordination equation of the desired order. In contrast to previous work, the equations are developed in a fixed global frame rather than a configuration-dependent canonical frame, providing a significant practical advantage. The equations are shown to be linear, and therefore, computationally efficient. As an example, the results are applied to a spatial 3-revolute mechanism that tracks a spatial path. Spatial, rigid-body guidance is achieved by applying the technique to three points on the end-effector of a six degree-of-freedom robot. A spatial 6-revolute robot is used as an illustration.