Research On Configuration Design Theory And Method For Reconfigurable Modular Robots

Reconfigurable modular robot is a system which can be assembled based on a set of modules selected from the predefined modular platform according the requirement of special tasks.For the reason of fast changes of modern manufacturing condition and tasks, manufacturing industry need dynamic and quick responsive manufacturing system. So modern manufacturing systems and facilities require the character of reconfigurability. As components of it, robots must be reconfigurable. So reconfigurability is needed by robots. In this thesis, the design principle and method of reconfigurable modular robots will be studied.Designing a modular platform is one of the main contents of designing reconfigurable modular robots. To meet the command of rapid reconfiguration of robots, this thesis divided the modules of robots based on function. Using the technology of object-based, the properties of modules is completely described. Finally ,the database of modular platform was established using the Microsoft Access.Configuration design is a key part of reconfigurable modular robot design. Through analyzing the characters of reconfigurable robot, a mathematical model of configuration was put forward. Genetic algorithm is selected as the configuration design optimization method. In the process of robot evaluation, a reachablity evaluation method based on genetic methodology is introduced.Establishment of mathematic model for kinematical analyze of reconfigurable modular robots is another key content. Forward kinematics is established by twist-product-of-exponential formula. This method only requires multiplying transformation matrix of every module according to the order of the assembled reconfigurable robot. The inverse kinematics is based on the forward kinematics equation formulas and differential kinematics equations. Lastly an iterative formula of inverse kinematics is obtained by using Newton-Raphson iteration method.