A dual-arm dexterous manipulator system with anthropomorphic kinematics

A 17-axis manipulator utilizing a humanlike configuration, the K/B-2017 dexterous manipulator, is presented. It has been designed for advanced industrial automation, one-G demonstrations of space servicing operations, and other remote operation/teleoperation applications. Two units have been built. The K/B-2017 consists of two seven-degree-of-freedom arms mounted on a three-degree-of-freedom torso-waist assembly. The arm and torso motions can be completely coordinated by a single motion controller/inverse kinematic algorithm. The units are produced from Robotics Research´s standard mechanical, electronic, and software modules. The system is capable of reliable operation in adverse environmental conditions. The joint-mounted actuators utilize electric motors, harmonic drive gear reducers, and closed-loop joint torque control, resulting in the operational characteristics of direct-drive actuators. The system can be controlled with a wide range of advanced control options