Assignment 4: Week 4 Solution

If not explained all symbols have same meaning as in the lectures

You can find the codes for MCQ – Q8 and Subjective – Q1, Q3 at this link:
https://github.com/roboticslabiisc/NPTEL-Robotics-Basics-and-Selected-Advanced-Concepts

MCQ/MSQ/NM
1. What is the degrees of freedom of the 3-UPU manipulator shown in Figure 1. (2 marks)

P2
Top Moving Platform

P0
P3

l3 Prismatic
P1 Joint

B3
l1
U Joint
l2
B0

B2

B1
Fixed Base

Figure 1: The U-P-U parallel manipulator

Answer: 3
λ = 6, N = 8, J = 9, Fi = 1(for P joint), Fi = 2(for U joint)
6
X
DOF = λ(N − J − 1) + Fi = 6(8 − 9 − 1) + 3 × (2 + 1 + 2) = 3
i=1

2. The number of loop-closure constraint equation used to solve the direct kinematics problem is (2 marks)

(A) equal to the degrees of freedom of the parallel manipulator.

(B) equal to the total number of joints in a parallel manipulator.
(C) equal to the total number of actuated joints in the parallel manipulator.
(D) less than the total number of passive joints in the parallel manipulator.

Answer : (D)

3. The set of constraint equation required to solve the direct kinematics problem in parallel manipulators (2 marks)

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 (A) are unique.
(B) are obtained by considering all the loops present in the parallel manipulator.
(C) must be equal to the number of passive joints used in the problem formulation.
(D) must be equal to the number of actuated joints in the parallel manipulators.

Answer : (C)

4. For the 3-RPS parallel manipulator discussed in the lecture, the direct kinematics problem (2 marks)
(A) can be solved in closed form.
(B) involve elimination of two passive joint variables and obtaining a single equation in one joint variable.
(C) results in at most eight possible configurations.
(D) can always give a real solution.
Answer : (B) & (C)

5. For the 6 − 6 Stewart-Gough platform discussed in the Lecture, the position and orientation of the top platform
are as follows: (2 marks)

B0
t = (0, 0, 1)T
 
1 0 0
B0
P0 [R] = 0 1 0
0 0 1
 T  T
P0 (i − 1)π (i − 1)π B0 (i − 1)π (i − 1)π
with pi = 0.5 cos , sin ,0 and bi = 1 cos , sin ,0 where i = 1, ..., 6 is
3 3 3 3
denotes the leg number. What is the value of l3 ? (3 marks)
Answer : 1.118
" √ #T " √ #T
P0 3 B0 3
p3 = 0.5 −0.5, ,0 , b3 = −0.5, ,0
2 2
" #T√ " √ #T " √ #T
−−−→ B0 B0 P0 B0 T 3 3 1 3
B3 P3 = t+ P0 [R] p3 − b3 = [0, 0, 1] + −0.5, , 0 − 0.5 −0.5, ,0 = ,− ,1
2 2 4 4
r
−−−→ 1 3
l3 = ||B3 P3 || = + + 1 ≈ 1.1180
16 16

6. Assertion (a): The inverse kinematics problem of a parallel manipulator is easier to solve than the direct kinematics
problem. (2 marks)
Reason (r): We don’t have to solve for the passive joint variables in case of inverse kinematics.

(A) Both (a) and (r) are true.

(B) (a) is true but (r) is false.
(C) (r) is true but (a) is false.
(D) Both (a) and (r) are false.

Answer : (B)

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7. A parallel manipulator cannot be assembled if (2 marks)
(A) The values of active joint variables are real.
(B) The values of active joint variables are zero.
(C) The values of passive joint variables are imaginary.
(D) The values of passive joint variable are zero
Answer : (C)

8. For a four-bar mechanism, let the link lengths be l0 = 8, l1 = 3, l2 = 8 and l3 = 4. For the two following cases
(a) a = 4.5 and b = 3.5
(b) a = 6 and b = 2

with l2 = a + b, the coupler curves obtained will intersect at how many points? (3 marks)
Answer : 4
For the MATLAB code, visit the GitHub link provided at the beginning of the document.

9. The direct kinematics equations of a 6 − 6 Stewart-Gough platform (2 marks)

(A) are more easily solved using task space variables.
(B) involve nine quadratic equations in nine task space variables.
(C) involve six quadratic and three linear equations in nine task space variables.
(D) have not yet been solved.
Answer : (A) & (C)

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Subjective Questions
1. For a planar four-bar mechanism, the link lengths in a double crank configuration are as follows: l0 = 3, l1 = 4,
l2 = 6, l3 = 6, a = 3 and b = 3. Plot φ1 , φ2 , φ3 and (θ1 + φ2 − φ1 − φ3 ) versus θ1 in a single figure. Also, plot the
coupler curve for the double crank configuration. (5 marks)
For the MATLAB code and plots, visit the GitHub link provided at the beginning of the document.

2. Figure 2 shows a two-degree-of-freedom planar five-bar mechanism. Assume that θ1 and θ2 are actuated variables.
Determine the loop-closure constraint equations involving the θ1 and θ2 and the passive variables φ1 , φ2 , and φ3 in
terms of the link lengths as shown in the Figure 2. (5 marks)

Figure 2: The planar five-bar mechanism

Break the 5-bar mechanism at the point (x, y). The loop-closure equations are:

l1 cos θ1 + l2 cos(θ1 + φ1 ) = l0 + l4 cos θ2 + l3 cos(θ2 + φ2 ) (1)

l1 sin θ1 + l2 sin(θ1 + φ1 ) = l4 sin θ2 + l3 sin(θ2 + φ2 ) (2)

And the total internal angle of the 5-bar mechanism = 3π

θ1 + φ1 + φ3 − φ2 − θ2 = 3π (3)

3. For the link lengths l0 , l1 , l2 , l3 and l4 given by 1.25, 3.2, 1.05, 1.26 and 2.68 units sketch the workspace of the
point (x, y) for the five-bar mechanism shown in Figure 2. (5 marks)
For the MATLAB code and plots, visit the GitHub link provided at the beginning of the document.

4. Figure 3 shows two planar 2R manipulators handling an object. We assume that the point of contact between
the two manipulators and the object can be modelled as a rotary (R) joint. What is the degree of freedom of the
resulting parallel manipulator? Discuss how the position and orientation of the grasped object can be obtained
with clearly stating the assumptions. (5 marks)
λ = 3, N = 6, J = 6, Fi = 1

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 Figure 3: Two 2R manipulators handling an object

6
X
DOF = λ(N − J − 1) + Fi = 3(6 − 6 − 1) + 6 × 1 = 3
i=1
If we break the parallel manipulator at the left grasping point G1 (the joint after l2 ), we get

l1 cos θ1 + l2 cos(θ1 + φ1 ) = d + r1 cos θ2 + r2 cos(θ2 + φ2 ) + b cos(θ2 + φ2 + ψ2 ) (4)

l1 sin θ1 + l2 sin(θ1 + φ1 ) = r1 sin θ2 + r2 sin(θ2 + φ2 ) + b sin(θ2 + φ2 + ψ2 ) (5)

And, total internal angle = 4π

θ1 + φ1 + ψ1 − θ2 − φ2 − ψ2 = 3π (6)

Let us assume, θ1 , θ2 , and φ1 be the active joint variables. The passive joint variables, φ2 , ψ1 , and ψ2 can be found
out by solving equations 4 - 6.
The orientation of the grasped object = θ1 + φ1 + ψ1
Position of the grasped object (the middle point – G):
 
l1 cos θ1 + l2 cos(θ1 + φ1 ) + (b/2) cos(θ1 + φ1 + ψ1 )
L
PG =  l1 sin θ1 + l2 sin(θ1 + φ1 ) + (b/2) sin(θ1 + φ1 + ψ1 ) 
0