Surface Following and Modelling for Planar N-Link Manipulator Arms Equipped with Proximity Sensors

Abstract

This paper presents a surface following algorithm and a surface modelling technique for planar n-link articulated manipulator arms equipped with proximity sensors. The surface following algorithm moves the arm along the surface of an object i n such a way that the arm remains within sensing range of the surface but does not collide with it. The surface model is constructed iteratively f rom sensor data obtained during this motion, and is used by the surface following algorithm t o compute the surface following arm motions.