Motion Planning for a Novel Reconfigurable Parallel Manipulator with Lockable Revolute Joints

This paper introduces a class of parallel robots consisting of a fixed base and a moving platform connected by serial chains having RRPS (Revolute-Revolute-Prismatic-Spherical) topology. Only the prismatic joint is actuated and the first revolute joint in the chain can be locked or released online. The introduction of these lockable joints allow the prismatic actuators to manoeuver to approximate 6-DoF motions for the moving platform. An algorithm for generating these maneuvers is first described. Then, a motion planner, based on the generation of a Probabilistic RoadMap (PRM) whose nodes are connected using the described maneuvers, is presented. The generated trajectories avoid singularities and possible collisions between legs.