Path planning for active tensegrity structures. (1st January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Porta, Josep M.; Hernández-Juan, Sergi
• Is Part Of: International journal of solids and structures. Volume 78/79(2016)
• Page Start: 47
• Page End: 56
• Publication Date: 2016-01-01
• Subjects: Tensegrity structures -- Path planning -- Differential geometry -- Higher-dimensional continuation; Mechanics, Applied -- Periodicals; Structural analysis (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Elastic solids -- Periodicals; Mécanique appliquée -- Périodiques; Constructions, Théorie des -- Périodiques; Solides élastiques -- Périodiques; Elastic solids; Mechanics, Applied; Structural analysis (Engineering); Periodicals; 624.18
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2015.09.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7683

Abstract

Abstract: This paper presents a path planning method for actuated tensegrity structures with quasi-static motion. The valid configurations for such structures lay on an equilibrium manifold, which is implicitly defined by a set of kinematic and static constraints. The exploration of this manifold is difficult with standard methods due to the lack of a global parameterization. Thus, this paper proposes the use of techniques with roots in differential geometry to define an atlas, i.e., a set of coordinated local parameterizations of the equilibrium manifold. This atlas is exploited to define a rapidly-exploring random tree, which efficiently finds valid paths between configurations. However, these paths are typically long and jerky and, therefore, this paper also introduces a procedure to reduce their control effort. A variety of test cases are presented to empirically evaluate the proposed method.