Trajectory control of manipulators with time varying inertia links

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Abstract
SUMMARY One way to increase the flexibility (or versatility) of manipulators is to use links with time varying inertia. One can then control both the joint torques and the inertias of the links therefore more pliancy in the practical utilisation of the arm. The paper deals with the Lagrangian formulation of the corresponding inertia control problem which can be considered either in open loop or in closed loop form. The general equations are derived and it is shown that one so obtains a set of uncoupled Ricatti differential equations which define the dynamics of the structural inertias. Problems related to stabilization and to structural parameter uncertainty are also considered.