BACKGROUND 
BACKGROUND The prototype manipulator (shown below) is a three degree of freedom parallel manipulator that was fabricated as part of the research for Rick Stamper's Ph.D. The manipulator is located in the Intelligent Servosystems Lab (ISL). The objective of this web page is to provide a user the information to operate and demonstrate the manipulator.
Throughout this webpage, the various "legs" of the manipulator are referred to as leg1, leg2, and leg3. Leg 1 is the leg that is not positioned at an angle relative to the base. The motor for leg1 is parallel with the x-axis of the manipulator's coordinate frame. The XY plane of this coordinate frame is in the same plane as the plane defined by the three motor rotors. The z-axis is pointing downward. Accordingly, leg2 is the leg that is +120 degrees from the x-axis (the leg that is closest to the user sitting at the Sun) and leg3 is the remaining leg.
The overall procedure for operating the manipulator is summarized by the following:
- Ensure that the manipulator is correctly connected to the AC100 controller.
- Envoke the proper software.
- Plan a desired trajectory of lines and arcs for the moving platform.
- Input the desired trajectory using the trajectory generation software written by Remi Taulemesse.
- Compile the code used to control the manipulator and download it from the Sun workstation to the DSP on the 486 computer.
- Enable the power for the motors and run the demonstration.