Visual control of robotic manipulator based on neural networks

A control scheme for a robotic manipulator system that uses visual information to position and orient the end-effector is described. The control system directly integrates visual data into the servoing process without subdividing the process into determination of the position and orientation of the workplace and inverse kinematic calculation. The feature of the control scheme is the use of neural networks for the determination of the change in joint angles required in order to achieve the desired position and orientation. The proposed system is able to control the robot so that it can approach the desired position and orientation from arbitrary initial ones. Simulations for a robotic manipulator with six degrees of freedom are described. The validity and the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme are verified by computer simulations