Performance prediction network for serial manipulators inverse kinematics solution passing through singular configurations

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the application of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to the solution of the Inverse Kinematics (IK) problem for serial robot manipulators, in this study two networks were trained and compared to examine the effect of considering the Jacobian Matrix to the efficiency of the IK solution. Given the desired trajectory of the end effector of the manipulator in a free-of-obstacles workspace, Offline smooth geometric paths in the joint space of the manipulator are obtained. Even though it is very difficult in practice, data used in this study were recorded experimentally from sensors fixed on robot's joints to overcome the effect of kinematics uncertainties presence in the real world such as ill-defined linkage parameters, links flexibility and backlashes in gear train The generality and efficiency of the proposed algorithm are demonstrated through simulations of a general six DOF serial robot manipulator, finally the obtained results have been verified experimentally.