A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR RECONFIGURABLE ROBOTS

The paper presents a new paradigm and conceptual design for reconfigurable robots. Unlike conventional reconfigurable robots, our design doesn't achieve reconfigurability by utilizing modular joints. But the robot is equipped with passive joints, i.e. joints with no actuator or sensor, which permit changing the Denavit-Hartenberg (DV) parameters such as the arm length, and the twist angle. The passive joints are controllable when the robot forms a closed kinematic chain. Also each passive joint is equipped with a built-in brake mechanism which is normally locked but it can be released whenever changing of the parameters is required. Kinematics analysis of such a robot plus control synthesis and mechanical design of the brake mechanism are described.