Implementation of a unified robot kinematics and inverse dynamics algorithm on a DSP chip

The feasibility and performance of implementing kinematics and inverse dynamics algorithms on a DSP chip for real-time robot arm control is investigated. The algorithms include the following modules: forward and inverse kinematics; Jacobian, inverse Jacobian, and Jacobian derivative term; and Newton-Euler inverse dynamics. These modules are unified under a common coordinate system, and then computationally optimized by eliminating the redundancies among the modules. Further optimization is indicated for the PUMA-like arms. The algorithms are implemented on a TI TMS320C30 DSP chip. It is found that the execution time for the entire set of algorithms is about 0.78 ms for a six-degree-of-freedom robot with a spherical wrist, and is about 0.63 ms for a PUMA-specific arm. The communication time between the host PC and the DSP chip is about 0.376 ms. Thus, it is possible to implement a complete Cartesian controller at a 1000 Hz sampling rate. The algorithms have been successfully tested on a PUMA arm with a PC-based advanced controller