Kinematic control of redundant knuckle booms

A kinematically redundant four degrees of freedommanipulator arm, a knuckle boom, is studied. Three joints arerevolute and one linear. Since only three degrees of freedomare needed for positioning, we have one redundant degree offreedom. Three different kinematic control strategies arestudied. One is based on the maximization of velocity (localoptimisation). This strategy is non-repeatable and cansometimes lead to kinematically unfavourable positions. In thesecond strategy, which is based on the maximization of staticlifting capacity (local optimisation), one of the degrees offreedom (the linear joint) is made a function of the toolcentre point position. The third strategy, which is based ondynamic programming (global optimization), calculates theshortest time that is possible for the tool centre point to gofrom one point to another point in the working area. The threestrategies are compared in a simulation study. The simulationsshow the necessary speed requirements for all joints whenperforming straight paths in the manipulator work area. Thesimulations also show the difference in time consumptionsbetween the three control algorithms and also what happens whenthe joints reach their maximum velocity limits. KeywordsManipulator, Kinematic Control, RedundantLanguag