Chapter 7: Robot Design and Mechanics – Linkage Analysis and Workspace Calculation
Abstract : In robot design and mechanics, "linkage analysis" refers to the process of mathematically analyzing the geometric relationships between the different rigid bodies (links) of a robot manipulator, while "workspace calculation" determines the reachable volume of space that the robot's end-effector can access based on its joint limits and configuration, allowing designers to understand the operational boundaries of the robot . Key points about linkage analysis and workspace calculation: Linkage Analysis: Purpose: To understand how joint rotations translate into end-effector position and orientation by applying geometric transformations (e.g., rotation matrices) to each link in the robot chain. Key elements: Joint variables: The angles or distances representing the joint motion. Link parameters: Lengths, offsets, and joint angles defining the geometry of each link. Homogeneous transformation matrices: Matrices u...