Session: MR-02-01 Theoretical & Computational Kinematics

Paper Number: 71380

Start Time: August 18, 10:00 AM

71380 - Spatial Mechanism-Environment Contact Geometric Models 

The current paper proposes a theoretical foundation for a general spatial geometric mechanism-environment contact model. In the proposed model the curvature of the environment in the vicinity of the contact is approximated by a number of spherical surfaces with known radii of curvature that constrain/define the movement of the body. We show how the modeled body-environment contact and curvature constraints can be transformed into conditions on spatial velocity and acceleration (i.e. first and second order effects) of certain points of the moving body that can be incorporated in the kinematic task for designing spatial mechanisms. Further, it is discussed how these higher order motion constraints allow for the introduction of kinematic task variations within the contact, resulting in different behaviors of the designed spatial mechanisms. An example of the design of a spatial kinematic chain which end-effector maintains contact and curvature specifications (compatible with higher order motion task constraints) with objects/environment and varies orientation in the vicinity of a contact location is considered. As seen from the motion trajectories, the designed chain has two distinct behaviors. The theoretical foundation presented in this paper is crucial in gaining understanding of the constraints in describing mechanism-environment interactions in the vicinity of a contact and is a new contribution.

Presenting Author: Aaron Lee California State University, Fullerton

Authors:

Nina Robson California State University
Aaron Lee California State University