Operational space dynamics: efficient algorithms for modeling and control of branching mechanisms

This paper discusses intuitive and efficient ways to model and control the dynamics of highly redundant branching mechanisms using the operational space formulation. As the complexity of mechanisms increases, their modeling and control become increasingly difficult. The operational space formulation provides a natural framework for these problems since its basic structure provides dynamic decoupling among multiple tasks and posture behaviors. Efficient recursive algorithms are presented for the computation of the operational space dynamics of branching mechanisms with multiple operational points. The application of these algorithms results in a significant increase in the interactivity and usability of dynamic control of complex branching mechanisms. The experimental results are presented using real-time dynamic simulation.