Dynamics of a Three Degree of Freedom Kinematic Chain

This report describes research done at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Support for the laboratory's artificial intelligence research is provided in part by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense under Office of Naval Research contract N00014-75-C-0643.In order to be able to design a control system for high-speed control of mechanical manipulators, it is necessary to understand properly their dynamics. Here we present an analysis of a detailed model of a three-link device which may be viewed as either a "leg" in a locomotory system, or the first three degrees of freedom of an "arm" providing for its gross motions. The equations of motion are shown to be non-trivial, yet manageable.MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agenc