Space Robotic Manipulator Contact Control
by
Luiz Carlos Gadelha DeSouza
National Institute for Space Research - INPE-Brasil
Coauthors: Andre Fenili

Contact dynamics problems arises in numerous applications in space and industry, as robotic welding, parts assembly, the operation of capturing a satellite in orbit or the general problem of a robotic manipulator grabbing and handling any object with its own dynamics. The theory developed here can also be applied to problems in which robots have to follow some prescribed patterns or trajectories when in contact with the environment (like in painting activities, for instance, or the ROKVISS experiment investigated at DLR). In this paper, the governing equations of motion of a system representative of a robotic manipulator in contact with a dynamic environment are derived. These equations are obtained through the Lagrangian formalism. The constraints are introduced into the governing equations for the case in which the bodies are in contact via the Lagrange multipliers. Some preliminary results (including profiles for the contact force) and recommendations are discussed.

Date received: March 12, 2008