Abstract: The invention controls an under-actuated robot manipulator by first obtaining predetermined active joint accelerations of the active joints and the passive joint friction forces of the passive joints, then computing articulated body quantities for each of the joints from the current positions of the links, and finally computing from the articulated body quantities and from the active joint accelerations and the passive joint forces, active joint forces of the active joints. Ultimately, the invention transmits servo commands corresponding to the active joint forces thus computed to respective ones of the joint servos.The computation of the active joint forces is accomplished using a recursive dynamics algorithm.

Abstract: This invention is a robot control system based on a high level language implementing a spatial operator algebra. There are two high level languages included within the system. At the highest level, applications programs can be written in a robot-oriented applications language including broad operators such as MOVE and GRASP. The robot-oriented applications language statements are translated into statements in the spatial operator algebra language. Programming can also take place using the spatial operator algebra language. The statements in the spatial operator algebra language from either source are then translated into machine language statements for execution by a digital control computer. The system also includes the capability of executing the control code sequences in a simulation mode before actual execution to assure proper action at execution time. The robot's environment is checked as part of the process and dynamic reconfiguration is also possible.