Parallel Computational Algorithms for the Kinematics and Dynamics of Planar and Spatial Parallel Manipulators

This paper introduces a novel approach for the computation of the inverse dynamics of parallel manipulators. It is shown that, for this type of manipulator, the inverse kinematics and the inverse dynamics procedures can be easily parallelized. The result is a closed-form efficient algorithm using n processors, where n is the number of kinematic chains connecting the base to the end-effector. The dynamics computations are based on the Newton-Euler formalism. The parallel algorithm arises from a judicious choice of the coordinate frames attached to each of the legs, which allows the exploitation of the parallel nature of the mechanism itself. Examples of the application of the algorithm to a planar three-degree-of-freedom parallel manipulator and to a spatial six-degree-of-freedom parallel manipulator are presented.