This research focuses on manipulator control techniques for improved performance, and a method to enable manipulators to be more easily programmed off-line. The research topics for improving manipulator performance are: implementation of a time-optimal control algorithm, development of a control scheme which will eliminate manipulator vibrations due to lumped-parameter flexibilities, and development of a model-referenced adaptive control scheme. This research will improve the manner in which manipulators are programmed. An algorithm will be developed for large motion trajectory planning which will give the minimum-time, collision-free path through a workspace containing obstacles. For each of these topics, effort will be made to ensure that the algorithms can be implemented in software and hardware using state-of-the-art electronics and parallel processing techniques. Experimental test apparatuses will be used to test the algorithms whenever possible.
