A robotic dynamic manipulation system with trajectory planning and control

A robotic batting system as an example of dynamic manipulation system is constructed. In batting/catching tasks using robot manipulators, a proper trajectory for manipulators is important to improve the probability of success. Using the measure of stochastic dynamic manipulability for a manipulator, a nominal path for the manipulator to travel in swing motion is computed while maximizing the manipulability measure to cope with the unpredictable deviation of the ball and minimizing the length of the swing path. The nominal trajectory along the path is then planned in a minimum-time way for the benefit of catching as accurate as possible the ball behavior which is observed visually and estimated online. A control structure consisting of an interpolated path velocity controller to follow the nominal trajectory and a resolved-acceleration-natured ball-deviation compensating controller is proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is examined using computer simulations