Geometrical Kinematic Analysis of a Planar Serial Manipulator Using a Barycentric Formula

The kinematics, instantaneous motion, and statics of a manipulator have recently been determined algebraically. In the past, such studies did not provide any intuition about the equation. Robot designers had to use a numerical method or trial-and-error solver with unintuitive equations. Alternatively, all algebraic processes have their own geometrical meaning. Geometric analysis provides intuition for designing the linkages of a robot. Screw theory and barycentric formulas are used to find meaningful geometric measures. The kinematics and statics of a manipulator are described by an axis screw and its reciprocal line screw. The barycenter of a triangle with edges and a perpendicular distance between the two screws are useful geometric measures for geometric analysis. This study provides a geometric interpretation of the kinematics and statics of a planar manipulator using a barycentric formula.