Kinematic analysis and workspace simulation of humanoid robot KUBO

Abstract

This paper overviews the kinematics and workspace computer simulation of humanoid robot KUBO, a four-limbed robot with 20-DOF. Made entirely from aluminum and assembled with commercial off-the-shelf actuators and sensors, KUBO is a self-developed low-cost platform for research into humanoid robots, human-like motion, bipedal walking, and control. KUBO is able to perform with high precision simple human tasks such as walking, balancing, turn around, bend over, lie down, get up, etc. In this paper, the mechanical design, kinematic analysis, and workspace simulation of this prototype are presented and discussed. The proposed methodology is useful for predicting the humanoid's limbs motion while performing a task and for preventing collisions with the environment and the robot itself.