Design and Control of Minimalist Robots Using Dynamic Underactuated Manipulation

这项研究的目标是使用动态欠驱动机器人操作来构建灵活但机械简单的机器人操作器和零件送料器。“动态”是指机器人利用动态力来帮助控制零件的运动；“欠驱动”表示机械手的自由度比它要控制的零件(S)少。这是机器人操纵的一种极简主义方法--它寻求最简单的机械手，就执行器的数量而言，能够控制所有部件自由的运动。这样的机械手将是廉价、轻便和模块化的。因为机械手的自由度比零件少，所以额外的零件自由度是通过相对于机械手的运动来描述的--滑动、滚动和自由飞行。与拾取放置不同，操纵器不会牢牢抓住零件。动态欠驱动操纵的目的是利用冲击、滑动、滚动和自由飞行动力学来实现对零件运动的有效控制，用智能运动规划和控制来取代机器人系统的一些机械复杂性。这项研究探索了动态欠驱动操作的可控性、运动规划和反馈控制，以及在空间中的应用，包括部件输送和操作。

The goal of this research is to construct dexterous yet mechanically simple robot manipulators and parts feeders using dynamic underactuated robotic manipulation. ``Dynamic'' means that the robot exploits dynamic forces to help control the motion of the part; ``underactuated'' indicates that the manipulator has fewer degrees-of-freedom than the part(s) it is to control. This is a minimalist approach to robotic manipulation--it seeks the simplest manipulators, in terms of the number of actuators, capable of controlling the motion of all part freedoms. Such manipulators will be cheap, lightweight, and modular. Because the manipulator has fewer freedoms than the part, the extra part freedoms are described by motion relative to the manipulator--slipping, rolling, and free flight. Unlike pick-and-place, the part is not firmly grasped by the manipulator. The purpose of dynamic underactuated manipulation is to exploit impact, slipping, rolling, and free flight dynamics to achieve effective control of the motion of the part, replacing some mechanical complexity of a robot system with intelligent motion planning and control. This research explores controllability, motion planning, and feedback control of dynamic underactuated manipulation, and applications including parts feeding and manipulation in space.