Design of Self‑Reconfigurable Multiarm Robot Mechanism Based on Deployable Kinematic Chains

As the structures of multiarm robots are serially arranged,the packaging and transportation of these robots are often inconvenient.The ability of these robots to operate objects must also be improved.Addressing this issue,this paper presents a type of multiarm robot that can be adequately folded into a designed area.The robot can achieve different operation modes by combining different arms and objects.First,deployable kinematic chains(DKCs)are designed,which can be folded into a designated area and be used as an arm structure in the multiarm robot mechanism.The strategy of a platform for storing DKCs is proposed.Based on the restrictions in the storage area and the characteristics of parallel mechanisms,a class of DKCs,called base assembly library,is obtained.Subsequently,an assembly method for the synthesis of the multiarm robot mechanism is proposed,which can be formed by the connection of a multiarm robot mechanism with an operation object based on a parallel mechanism structure.The formed parallel mechanism can achieve a reconfigurable characteristic when different DKCs connect to the operation object.Using this method,two types of multiarm robot mechanisms with four DKCs that can switch operation modes to perform different tasks through autonomous combination and release operation is proposed.The obtained mechanisms have observable advantages when compared with the traditional mechanisms,including optimizing the occupied volume during transportation and using parallel mechanism theory to analyze the switching of operation modes.

ADJACENT MARTIX METHOD OF IDENTIFYING ISOMORPHISM TO PLANAR KINEMATIC CHAIN WITH MULTIPLE JOINTS AND HIGHER PAIRS

The adjacent matrix method for identifying isomorphism to planar kinematic chain with multiple joints and higher pairs is presented. The topological invariants of the planar kinematic chain can be calculated and compared by adjacent matrix. The quantity of calculation can be reduced effectively using the several divisions of bars and the reconfiguration of the adjacent matrix. As two structural characteristics of adjacent matrix, the number of division and division code are presented. It can be identified that two kinematic chains are isomorphic or not by comparing the structural characteristics of their adjacent matrixes using a method called matching row-to-row. This method may be applied to the planar linkage chain too. So, the methods of identifying isomorphism are unified in the planar kinematic chain that has or hasn＇t higher pairs with or without multiple joints. And it has some characters such as visual, simple and convenient for processing by computer, and so on.

Similar Vertices and Isomorphism Detection for Planar Kinematic Chains Based on Ameliorated Multi-Order Adjacent Vertex Assignment Sequence

Isomorphism detection is fundamental to the synthesis and innovative design of kinematic chains(KCs).The detection can be performed accurately by using the similarity of KCs.However,there are very few works on isomorphism detection based on the properties of similar vertices.In this paper,an ameliorated multi-order adjacent vertex assignment sequence(AMAVS)method is proposed to seek out similar vertices and identify the isomorphism of the planar KCs.First,the specific definition of AMAVS is described.Through the calculation of the AMAVS,the adjacent vertex value sequence reflecting the uniqueness of the topology features is established.Based on the value sequence,all possible similar vertices,corresponding relations,and isomorphism discrimination can be realized.By checking the topological graph of KCs with a different number of links,the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method are verified.Finally,the method is employed to implement the similar vertices and isomorphism detection of all the 9-link 2-D0F(degree of freedom)planar KCs.

AUTOMATIC DISPLACEMENT ANALYSIS OF PLANAR MECHANISMS WITH MATCHING BASIC KINEMATIC CHAINS METHOD

A simple, efficient, automatic and universal method to fulfill displacementanalysis of a great deal of mechanisms regenerated by Yan's mechanism creative theory has beendeveloped. For a regenerated mechanism, at first, the method identifies its type and structure andchanges it into a rigid structure by fixing the ground link and the input link. And then this rigidstructure is decomposed into a set of basic kinematic chains (BKCs). By matching the type of BKC,the displacement analysis equations can be set up, and all possible configurations, in whichpositions of all movable links are considered, can be given out.

Rigid Subchain Detection Algorithm of Mechanism Kinematic Chain and Realization of Recursive Program

In the process of kinematic chain type synthesis,it is necessary to solve the problems of isomorphism identification and rigid subchain detection.The problem of rigid subchain detection can be reduced to subgraph isomorphism problem,which belongs to NPC problem.This paper introduces the properties,detection methods,algorithm time complexity and program code of rigid subchain of kinematic chain.The detection codes of rigid subchains with different number of links are different.It is necessary to modify the for-loop nesting times of program code according to the change of the link number,so the code reusability is very low.In view of this,the recursive pseudo code of rigid subchain detection algorithm is proposed for the first time,which makes the program can be directly used for rigid subchain detection of any number of links,improves the reusability of the code,and provides a certain reference for the realization and optimization of computer programs for NPC problems in other disciplines.A rigid subchain detection software of kinematic chain was developed,and the rigid subchain detection process of a 16-link kinematic chain was successfully realized in the software.

A New Complete Hierarchical Classification Approach to Kinematic Chains

Based on structural properties and genetic isomorphism-identification approach, this paper proposes a classification scheme of kinematic structures to categorize the kinematic chains into different families, thus facilitating the optimum selection of a basic structure of a mechanism. The kinematic chain is represented by a graph at first. The genetic adaptive model for the graph isomorphism identification is developed, which includes the construction of an effective method to decrease the problem's dimensions and applying an evolutionary searching strategy. From the various invariants of the genetic adaptive model, which charaterize the specific features of a kinematic chain or a family of kinematic chains, we obtain a six-step hierarchical classification scheme. This scheme classifies together the kinematic chains having similar sub-sets of structures forming isomorphic sub-chains. An example illustrates the theory, procedure and utitlity of the hierarchical classification. The scheme reduces computing time and effort in the optimum selection of a kinematic structure from a large family of kinematic chains.

STUDY ON ISOMORPHISM OF PLANAR KINEMATIC CHAINS

The isomorphism of planar kinematic chains is studied. The original methods for de- tecting isomorphism is discussed. A new matrix, the link -link path matrix, is presented to show the structures of planar kinematic chains. It is simple and reliable to detect isomorphism of planar kinematic chains by using the link-link path matrix.

Structural Synthesis and Workspaces of Serial Robotic Chains with 7 Axes

Redundant serial robot kinematic chains with seven axes are an extension of classical 6-axis ones. The structural synthesis of these structures is useful to provide a working basis, including for the promotion of new structures with 7 axes, besides some already existing and applied structures. This paper summarizes kinematic chain structures using a combinatorial method by listing all possible variants of the structures with 7 axes, obtained by adding a rotational or translational coupling, in a parallel or perpendicular position, against the guiding structure with 6 axes consisting of two distinct modules： positioning module （3 axes） and orientation module （3 axes）. Representation of proper workspaces can help the designer in choosing the structure with maximum functionality for a given application.

A General Study of the Number of Assembly Configurations for Multi-Circuit Planar Linkages

This paper presents a general approach for determining the configuration number for any linkage: A kinematic cham (KC) can be divided into some basic kinematic chains (BKCs) and driving joints; there are only 33 kinds of BKCs with υ =1-4 independent loop, containing only R (revolute) joints and their configuration numbers are given; the configuration number of a KC equals to the multiplication of the configuration numbers of BKCs contained in the KC.

Structure Design of Lower Limb Exoskeletons for Gait Training

Due to the close physical interaction between human and machine in process of gait training, lower limb exoskeletons should be safe, comfortable and able to smoothly transfer desired driving force/moments to the patients. Correlatively, in kinematics the exoskeletons are required to be compatible with human lower limbs and thereby to avoid the uncontrollable interactional loads at the human-machine interfaces. Such requirement makes the structure design of exoskeletons very difficult because the human-machine closed chains are complicated. In addition, both the axis misalignments and the kinematic character difference between the exoskeleton and human joints should be taken into account. By analyzing the DOF（degree of freedom） of the whole human-machine closed chain, the human-machine kinematic incompatibility of lower limb exoskeletons is studied. An effective method for the structure design of lower limb exoskeletons, which are kinematically compatible with human lower limb, is proposed. Applying this method, the structure synthesis of the lower limb exoskeletons containing only one-DOF revolute and prismatic joints is investigated; the feasible basic structures of exoskeletons are developed and classified into three different categories. With the consideration of quasi-anthropopathic feature, structural simplicity and wearable comfort of lower limb exoskeletons, a joint replacement and structure comparison based approach to select the ideal structures of lower limb exoskeletons is proposed, by which three optimal exoskeleton structures are obtained. This paper indicates that the human-machine closed chain formed by the exoskeleton and human lower limb should be an even-constrained kinematic system in order to avoid the uncontrollable human-machine interactional loads. The presented method for the structure design of lower limb exoskeletons is universal and simple, and hence can be applied to other kinds of wearable exoskeletons.

Automatic Structural Synthesis for Planar Kinematic Chains Containing Higher Pairs

This paper presents a mechanism theory principle for equivalent substitution in kinematic chain of a higher pair for lower pairs. This is the opposite of the principle of the equivalent substitution of lower pairs for a higher pair. Also presented here is a new approach for isomorphism identification in kinematic chains containing higher pairs(KCCHs). Based on this approach, an algorithm for generating nonisomorphic KCCHs has been developed. This algorithm is not restricted by the number of links, the degree of freedom or the number of higher pairs. Using this algorithm, nonisomorphic KCCHs can be generated automatically from the kinematic chains that contain only lower pairs. As an application of this algorithm, all the nonisomorphic KCCHs with N<10(N, the number of links), F≤3 (F, the degree of KCCHs), and H≤2(H, the number of higher pairs) are computer generated.