A Novel Algorithm for Maximization of the Secondary-Task Function for Redundant Serial Manipulators

Redundant manipulators can employ additional degrees to achieve secondary objectives when performing the trajectory tracking, such as avoiding the mechanical limits of the manipulator's joints through the Jacobian null space properties. This article presents an improvement to the classical kinematic solution for redundant serial manipulators, changing the secondary gains to a variable vector that replaces the constant scalar gain. Also, a method is suggested for the variation of those gains. The application is demonstrated in trajectories for the Movemaster RV-M2 robot to prove the effectiveness of this change. As a result, the path of the manipulator's joints remains further away from their limits along the path, maintaining the position error profile in the end-effector.