Higher-Order Local Analysis of Kinematic Singularities of Lower Pair Linkages

Kinematic singularities of linkages are configurations where the differential mobility changes. Constraint singularities are critical points of the constraint mapping defining the loop closure constraints. Configuration space (c-space) singularities are points where the c-space ceases to be a smooth manifold. These singularity types are not identical. C-space singularities are reflected by the c-space geometry. Identifying kinematic singularities amounts to locally analyze the set of critical points. The local geometry of the set of critical points is best approximated by its tangent cone (an algebraic variety). The latter is defined in this paper in a form that allows for its computational determination using the Jacobian minors. An explicit closed form expression for the derivatives of the minors is presented in terms of Lie brackets of joint screws. A computational method is proposed to determine a polynomial system defining the tangent cone. This finally allows for identifying c-space and kinematic singularities.