Collision-free Design of Rational Single-loop Linkages

Objetivo

This project focuses on the collision-free design of single-loop mechanisms, which are customized devices synthesized for a given task. With only few degrees of freedom, such mechanisms can perform very complex spatial motions, which nowadays industrial solutions can achieve for an extensive energy cost or cannot achieve at all. Although the kinematics of the single-loop mechanisms is a well-investigated topic among mechanism scientists, there exist very few real-world applications, because the synthesized kinematic models do not consider collisions between the links and joints. Also, their structural design is complicated – engineering tools struggle when dealing with closed-chain mechanisms given algebraically due to numerical rounding. The project aims to solve this problem through recent progress on mechanisms constructed by rational motion factorization along with numerical optimization methods. Rational motion has, in addition to the possibility of factorization, other benefits such as motion parametrization, algebraic collision detection, or can approximate even other types of motions, making the output of this work widely adaptable. This project will provide a simplified mechanism collision model, quantify the collision states on a continuous level, optimize the rigid body structural design, and deal with special cases such as folded states of mechanisms. Daniel Huczala recently finished dissertation at VSB-TU of Ostrava, Czech Republic, where he dealt with the synthesis of serial kinematic structures of robotic manipulators. His obtained knowledge in optimization of mechanisms design will be joined with the theoretical kinematics expertise of researchers at the Unit of Geometry and Surveying, University of Innsbruck, Austria, who participated in the development of the rational motion factorization and can transfer this knowledge to Dr. Huczala, which will considerably develop his research profile at the very beginning of his postdoc career.